Anthony Joshua vs. Deontay Wilder reportedly locked in for March 9th in Saudi Arabia

Former heavyweight boxing champions Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder will (likely) get to square off early next year.

‘AJ’ and ‘The Bronze Bomber’ were in talks throughout much of this year. However, the best-laid plans often go awry. Despite Eddie Hearn’s comments about the two boxing on December 23rd in Saudi Arabia, they later lost that date to Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk. Well, they lost the date for a little bit.

Following Francis Ngannou’s fight with ‘The Gypsy King’ in October, that bout was postponed. Now, Fury’s bout with ‘The Cat’ is slated for February 17th. After their postponement, Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder’s management returned to the Saudis and were able to get a deal.

As first reported by ESPN’s Mike Coppinger, Anthony Joshua vs. Deontay Wilder is slated for March 9th. The fight is expected to take place in Saudi Arabia, which comes as no surprise. However, it’s worth noting that his fight hinges on the heavyweight’s returns later this month. In order to keep their 2024 fight alive, both men need to score a win.

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Photo by Timothy A Clary

As of now, Anthony Joshua is slated to headline a DAZN event on December 23rd. In the main event, the British boxer will face Otto Wallin in a 12-round bout. For his part, the Swede is undefeated save for a loss to Tyson Fury in September 2019. Since then, he’s won six straight, including wins over names such as Dominic Breazale and Murat Gassiev.

” Everyone’s saying, ‘Well why are you fighting a tough fight before Deontay Wilder?’ That was the fight that was proposed to us from Saudi.” Eddie Hearn stated to ESPN earlier this week regarding the bout. “Joshua’s never turned down a fight. Wallin’s been on our list for the last two fights. The only reason we haven’t boxed him is because he’s a southpaw. So, to fight a southpaw on six weeks’ notice with a new trainer, is not ideal, but [the Saudis] like the fight. They fancy the fight. Fingers crossed.”

In the co-main event of that card, Deontay Wilder will return to face former champion Joseph Parker. The Australian is currently riding a three-fight winning streak, last defeating Simon Kean in October by stoppage. Beyond those victories, he’s known for holding WBO heavyweight gold until a 2018 loss to Anthony Joshua.

As of now, neither Deontay Wilder nor Anthony Joshua have confirmed the news about the March bout. However, ‘The Bronze Bomber’ and ‘AJ’ have routinely stated their plans to face off in 2024, even before this report. For now, it seems that Eddie Hearn’s wish has paid off, and fans will get to see the two heavyweights clash early next year.

What do you make of this report from the world of boxing? Who do you got in this heavyweight clash slated for next March? Deontay Wilder or Anthony Joshua?