British Professional boxer, Anthony Joshua has slammed Deontay Wilder on social media after the WBC champion’s former promoter claimed talks over a unification fight were always doomed, adding that his attempt to broker deals for a unification bout with Joshua led to his sack. Lou DiBella, who co-promoted Wilder until 2018, worked alongside Al Haymon and the Bronze Bomber’s current manager Shelly Finkel.
But after Wilder’s draw with Tyson Fury in 2018, DiBella made moves to try and come to terms with the WBA, IBF, WBO, and IBO champion, Joshua.
DiBella set up meeting with DAZN, Haymon, Finkel and Wilder and claims that decision cost him his position on the American’s team. The promoter insists he was exiled after that meeting, telling IFL TV: ‘My relationship professionally as a promoter for Deontay Wilder and working with his team ended when I set up the DAZN meeting, which is perverse.
‘What did I do? I tried to talk to everyone in the marketplace and make a best effort to make the most money for a guy that I cared about. ‘Isn’t that what I’m supposed to do?’
Joshua was quick to spot the news and reacted on social media by slamming Wilder.
‘When the loyalties gone, the truth shall prevail,’ Joshua wrote on his Instagram, alongside a picture of DiBella and Wilder paired with the promoter’s comments.
Joshua has always insisted it was Wilder who was ducking a unification clash, while his rival has claimed it was the British heavyweight who refused to negotiate.
Hope of a unification fight in 2020 appeared to be fading with Joshua tied up in mandatories and Wilder and Fury on track to fight twice this year.
But Joshua has breathed new life into the prospect of an undisputed heavyweight bout by claiming he will make an offer to the loser of Wilder-Fury II to step aside from their trilogy fight.
