[News] Deontay Wilder is open to an epic showdown with Anthony Joshua in Saudi Arabia this year – Manager Shelly Finkel says

Deontay Wilder is ‘willing’ to face Anthony Joshua in Saudi Arabia this year, according to his manager Shelley Finkel.

Wilder is looking for his next opponent after his victory against Robert Helenius in one round last October.

Both fighters were in talks to face each other in 2019 with Wilder’s team reportedly offering £40m ($50m) to stage the bout in Las Vegas, but Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn called off the negotiations after failing to see evidence of the prize pot.

At the time the heavyweights both held world title belts – Joshua had the IBF, WBO and WBA belts while Wilder was WBC world champion. But now both men are looking to rebuild their careers after damaging losses, so with the pressure off the possibility of a match-up has re-emerged.

Joshua and Wilder were linked to a highly-lucrative and high-profile card in Saudi Arabia last week, with Hearn claiming the £323m could even see the British star and his American rival face each other on the same night as Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk.

Finkel has now talked up the chances of a fight happening in Saudi between Joshua and Wilder.

‘Deontay has wanted to fight Joshua for a long time and of course, is willing to fight him in Saudi Arabia,’ Finkel told Sky Sports