Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder opponents revealed for fights on same card next month

December 2020 ยท 3 minute read

Anthony Joshua vs Otto Wallin and Deontay Wilder vs Joseph Parker are reportedly both in talks to take place on the same card next month.

After the already-signed Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk undisputed fight had to be pushed back from December 23 due to Fury's tough ten-rounder with Francis Ngannou, boxing chiefs in Saudi Arabia have decided to push ahead with a different show on that date.

December 23 will now play host to Joshua and Wilder, according to American boxing journalist Dan Rafael.

However, the rival heavyweights will not be facing each other.

It's reported that AJ has agreed to fight Wallin, who famously gave Fury a tough night and cut him when they fought in 2019.

Meanwhile Wilder has agreed to fight fellow ex-champion Parker, who was dethroned by Joshua in 2018.

More Boxing News

Dmitry Bivol is also expected to appear on the card, defending his WBA light-heavyweight world title against Richard Rivera.

As is heavyweight contender Daniel Dubois, though his opponent is not yet known.

It's hoped that Joshua and Wilder fighting on the same card will finally set up a fight between them in 2024.

If this does come to fruition, it would be seven years after they initially began discussions.

Most read in Boxing

Frank Warren teases 'an historical night' in boxing on December 23rd in Saudi Arabia and says Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk will take place in the New Year

Back when they first tried to agree a deal in 2017 and 2018, the pair were heavyweight world champions and would have met in an undisputed showdown.

Now, both have lost their titles, but the fight remains a massive attraction.

Representatives for Joshua and Wilder in fact agreed terms over the summer for a fight in Saudi Arabia this December.

However, this fell through following a switch in the landscape of boxing in Saudi, with the new entity in charge - headed up by His Excellency Turki Alalshikh - instead prioritising Fury vs Usyk.

The undisputed heavyweight world title fight remains Saudi Arabia's priority and is now expected to happen in February.

But beforehand, a Joshua vs Wilder appetiser now looks likely for December 23 in Riyadh.

Frank Warren is involved in the planning of this event, due to the fact he was key to staging Fury vs Ngannou last month.

"There's gonna be a big night in December," Warren told talkSPORT, "We'll be announcing it very soon and it will be massive.

"You're gonna love it, I promise you you're gonna love it.

"I can't give you all the information at the moment, but everything's going in the right direction for something to be a historical night of boxing."

Read More on talkSPORT

Pushed for more details, Warren merely said: "It's gonna feature boxers from all over the world. You will be surprised by the names.

"There's some great fights involving British fighters too."

ncG1vNJzZmiskaG4tLzOq6tnm5%2BifLS8zquraGlmaIV5f5NomKesmKS7unnJqKqhrZFisaa7za2YsmWnnrmlsdFmpqmon6Oyr8DSZp2in5ipwG6%2FwKacZpuRp7Fw