Sports
Joshua’s Trainer Says He Knows Nothing About Joshua Vs Wilder’s Planned Bout
Anthony Joshua’s trainer Derrick James has insisted that there is no planned fight between his client and American heavyweight boxer Deontay Wilder.
Over the years, there have been raging speculations that Joshua and Wilder will take on each other for the first time in their boxing careers but that often ends in more speculations.
In recent weeks, the speculations over a possible bout between Joshua and Wilder have taken center stage again. This time around, there are reports that the two sought-after boxers could clash in Saudi Arabia in December.
Interestingly, Joshua had said he won’t box until December which has further given credence to the speculations. Also, Joshua had said he won’t mind a bout against the American boxer while Wilder has been anticipating his meeting with Joshua in the ring.
Amidst that, Joshua’s agent, Eddie Hearn, who earlier wanted Joshua to fight other boxers once or twice before December, has not ruled out a possibility of Joshua Vs Wilder’s bout this year.
Contrary to that, Derrick James who became the trainer of the Nigerian-born British boxer over four months ago had said he doesn’t know anything about the purported planned bout.
He said, “I don’t know anything about it, first of all.
We’ll start working [if it happens, but] I haven’t heard it. I saw it on the internet, or whatever, but that doesn’t matter.”
After suffering two successive defeats to Oleksandr Usyk, Anthony Joshua sacked his long-time trainer Rob McCracken and replaced him with Derrick James.
Under James’ watch, the British boxer recorded a victory over American boxer Jermaine Franklin on the first of April 2023. Days after the bout, Joshua announced his break from boxing until December.