Anthony Joshua has blasted Deontay Wilder after the American unwittingly admitting that AJ didn’t after all duck him in 2019.
The narrative in many quarters was that Joshua was the one who turned down a massive payday to meet ‘The Bronze Bomber’ in a huge unification showdown. Leaving Wilder to fight Tyson Fury instead.
But as Wilder furiously hit out at Fury over the weekend over the collapse of their planned trilogy fight, he unwittingly presented a very different view.
He said: “You know I was offered more money to fight Joshua than I was getting to fight you. Again being a man of my word, I fought you.”
Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn has defended his man many times on this topic. And he was unsurprisingly quick to jump on that comment, responding: “I thought AJ ducked you”.
I thought AJ ducked you? ???? https://t.co/GaJIN7ak6v
— Eddie Hearn (@EddieHearn) October 31, 2020
Joshua meanwhile spoke exclusively to Sky Sports News to get a few things off his chest.
“It makes the ultimate sense,” he said.
Wilder admission is vindication for Joshua
“It’s hard because at the time when people are talking and you see lots of media stuff, you start to believe what that person is saying. When time goes by, naturally the truth will always reveal itself.
“I get a lot of stick but I take it with a pinch of salt.
“He admitted it. We made him a lucrative offer but he wanted to face Fury.
“So be it. If that’s what he wanted to do, fine.
“But he dragged my name through the mud.”
Joshua sounded almost relieved that the evidence is there for everybody to see.
He explained: “While Wilder was trying to make me look like a bad person, that I didn’t want to enhance the sport, or fight certain fighters, I just had to roll with the punches.
“He has come out and said it himself. We offered him a really good deal but he wanted to fight Fury.
“People can take it how they want, and see what the truth is now.”
