Anthony Joshua initiates showdown talks with Wilder

Nigerian-born British world heavyweight champion, Anthony Joshua wants a “man-to-man” meeting with Deontay Wilder to set up an undisputed world heavyweight title fight – if he beats Andy Ruiz Jr.

WBA, IBF and WBO champion Anthony Joshua, 29, takes on Ruiz in New York this Saturday. On Tuesday night, WBC champion Wilder announced a rematch with Cuba’s Luis Ortiz, delaying any contest with Joshua for now.

“I am going to reach out to Wilder to see if I can have a sit-down in person,” Joshua told BBC Sport. The Briton added: “What people say on camera is different to what people say eye to eye. So I have to sit down with him man-to-man and see where he’s at.” [READ ALSO] Controversial ex-sumo champ Futahaguro dies at 55: media Wilder has won 41 of his 42 fights, the other being a controversial draw with Britain’s Tyson Fury in December.

He beat Ortiz via a 10th-round knockout in their first fight in March 2018 and announced their rematch on Twitter. Joshua added: “Fighting the Ruizes of the world is more dangerous than fighting the likes of Wilder. Why would I fight talent who has potential to beat me when I can just fight Wilder, who is talented but who has what I want? “I’d rather take the Wilder opportunity. I don’t want to keep fighting these guys, I want to get straight to the big fights.” Vanguard