Turki Al-Sheikh is considering Deotay Wilder as a potential replacement as Anthony Joshua prepares for a return in 2025, Sports247 reports.
Anthony Joshua was very vocal about fighting Tyson Fury in 2025 after both boxers have avoided several times in the past and the Saudi Arabia match maker, is interested in making the mega bout happen this year as boxing fans are anticipating one of the biggest non title fight in the heavyweight category in recent years.
But Tyson’s announcement of his retirement from the game on Monday (13 January), threw a spanner in the wheel of the plan.
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While many figures in boxing do not believe that Fury will end his career now, on the back of two losses to Oleksandr Usyk, Turki Al-Sheikh is preparing for life after the “Gypsy King”.
The Saudi adviser, boxing’s most influential matchmaker, told Talksport on Thursday (16 January): “I want to see Joshua and [Deontay] Wilder now. If Tyson is not available, why not Joshua and Wilder?”
Joshua, 35, has long been linked to Wilder, 39, with the pair coming extremely close to fighting in recent times. In December 2023, the heavyweights shared a fight card in Saudi Arabia, as Joshua stopped Otto Wallin and Wilder was outpointed by Joseph Parker.
If “AJ” and the American had won, they would have faced each other in 2024.
Instead, Joshua went on to knock out former UFC champion Francis Ngannou, while Wilder was stopped by Zhilei Zhang in his next bout. Joshua was also on the wrong end of a KO in 2024, however, as Daniel Dubois retained the IBF title against his fellow Briton in September.
That defeat, coupled with Fury’s second loss to Usyk in December, seemed to line up Joshua and Fury for a long-overdue clash. But Fury, 36, has seemingly scuppered those plans by retiring.
Discussing Fury’s alleged retirement, Al-Sheikh added: “First of all, this kind of decision has to be from the fighters. It must be whatever they are thinking, if they have something to give or not. As a fan of boxing, I don’t like it; we want to see Tyson in more big fights, but I can understand his decision. But over time this decision can change.
“Of course [I will try to convince him to continue boxing]. I will support him and discuss it with him. I will leave him for some time to be with his family, then we can discuss it. But a lot of rumours don’t help us: However, Al-Sheihk denied proposing five hundred million euros for the potential Anthony Joshua/Fury fight .
” No one will propose £500m for a fight [against Joshua or anyone], these numbers are iincorrect,” he said.
