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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Sport
Gareth Bicknell

Anthony Joshua calls on Deontay Wilder to fight him in the UK

Anthony Joshua has reiterated his calls for Deontay Wilder to fight him in the UK rather than in his native US.

Joshua wants a shot at Wilder's WBC heavyweight belt in order to become the first undisputed heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis in 1999.

The 30-year-old Brit last month won his rematch against Andy Ruiz Jr to recapture the WBA, IBF, WBO and IBO belts.

Now Joshua is keen to unify the division - but he'll have to wait until after Wilder's own rematch against Tyson Fury for the WBC belt on February 22, which comes after their last fight in December 2018 was scored a draw.

If Wilder wins next month's fight at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Joshua wants the America to come to Britain to fight him.

Anthony Joshua wants to fight Deontay Wilder as he bids to become undisputed heavyweight champion (Getty Images)

Joshua told IFL TV: “80,000 people or an arena that can hold 15,000 elsewhere?

“It makes sense to have it here [in the UK].”

Joshua added: "That’s probably what’s holding it up, we want it here.

“Obviously there’s broadcasters, but we have to look at what makes sense for the division.

Wilder faces a rematch against Tyson Fury next month before he can fight Joshua (PA)

“Sometimes you’ve got to go across the pond to make it work.”

Joshua is already facing the possibility of having to vacate one of his belts after he was ordered to agree world title defences against Kubrat Pulev AND Oleksandr Usyk.

Bulgarian ace Pulev is the IBF's mandatory challenger, while Usyk is the WBO's next contender following his move up from cruiserweight.

Meanwhile, Eddie Hearn - but admits he can't stop it from happening.

Eddie Hearn warned Joshua against sparring Fury to help the Gypsy King prepare for his Wilder rematch (Action Images via Reuters)

Joshua last month offered to fly to Fury's Las Vegas training camp to spar his fellow Brit as the Gypsy king prepares to fight Wilder.

Fury accepted the offer as he plots to take the WBC belt from his American rival.

But Hearn - who has already promised there will be an all-British super fight between Fury and Joshua at some point - says it's a bad idea.

Speaking to IFL TV , Hearn said of his fighter Joshua: "I wouldn’t be surprised if he went out there.

"It’s a bit weird because he might fight the winner. Josh is his own boss, if he fancies it, he’ll just go."

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