DEONTAY WILD ABOUT JOSHUA’S NO-SHOW

DEONTAY WILDER has accused Anthony Joshua of letting down his fans by not attending the American’s world title clash with Tyson Fury on Saturday.

Champion Joshua will not fly to Los Angeles due to sponsorship commitments – robbing the fans of a potential stare-down with the winner.

And Wilder (right), who refused to be ringside when Joshua fought Joseph Parker last year when he was told he couldn’t confront the Brit in the ring, rubbished his fellow champion’s excuses.

Wilder said: “Of course he should be there, it’s part of the rotation of boxing. This is not a one-man sport when it comes to making it big and appealing to the public.

“I want one champion, one face and one name but that is just a title. As an overall, boxing is a family. A fight of this magnitude can make the next fight even bigger, so why not add fuel to that fire? “Just having his presence there would get people excited for the next fight. What kind of an excuse is that when we’re talking about a fight this huge? “Fans want to know a few things: how the fight ends, if his name is mentioned, and they want to see the reaction. If the fighter is there then it makes it all the more exciting.

“American people still remember Fury from when he came to my fight in New York [against Artur Szpilka in 2016], that moment when he was in the ring with me was big.

“It all plays a hand. It adds to the fight, but instead Joshua doesn’t want to do it. In the ring it was just the beginning, the first step, that was the first course now the main is coming.” Wilder’s unification negotiations with Joshua broke down earlier this year – and Fury stepped in.

Should the defending champion retain his title, he will be Joshua’s primary target for his next fight on April 13 at Wembley.

And Wilder added: “Boxing will be around for a long time,

“I’m still willing and ready to fight anyone.

“It’s not all the way shut out, I think all things will happen at its appointed time.”