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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Sport
Jonathan Gorrie

Deontay Wilder aims dig at Anthony Joshua's 'handlers' ahead of Saudi Arabia card

Deontay Wilder has accused Eddie Hearn's Matchroom of holding Anthony Joshua back from fighting him.

Despite so much talk about the two finally meeting in a boxing ring after years of build-up, a deal to pull off one of the biggest fights in the sport did not come to fruition.

They will, however, will both appear on the same card in Saudi Arabia on December 23.

Wilder, who has only fought one professional round since finishing his trilogy with Tyson Fury, will meet Joseph Parker in Riyad next month.

On the same night, Joshua will continue his rebuild by facing Otto Wallin.

It will be a huge night of boxing also including the likes of Daniel Dubois and Dmitry Bivol but Wilder insists he is not to blame for fans not getting the fight they have wanted for so long.

"He asked for $50million (£40m) and we provided that for him and he did not take it," he told the Daily Mail.

"And the only way you can disregard that is to make a mockery of it, try to make a joke of it, try to make it seem to the public that it's not real.

"It's an 'oh s*** moment'. They came up with $50m. That's why they don't have Joshua speaking a lot on his own behalf and if he does speak he always slips up and says things that are not appealing to his people. And they have to play clean up.

"It's his management that have held him back from fighting me because, you know, he's a fighter. It's been over six years (waiting for the fight to be made). But there comes a point in time we're you're like, 'Forget it'.

"Many times he wanted to fight, he wanted to accept it but his handlers didn't want it because Joshua is the money-maker for the company. And if he goes down, so does the business."

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