The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Wilder eyes Joshua after breazing past Breazeale
WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder set his sights on Anthony Joshua after defending his world title with a brutal first-round knockout of Dominic Breazeale in New York.
The titleholder sent fellow American Breazeale crashing to the canvas with a steamroller right hand after just two minutes and 17 seconds at the Barclays Center.
The knockout extended the 33-year-old’s unbeaten record to 41 wins and a draw, with 40 stoppages.
Wilder, who drew with Tyson Fury in December, and unbeaten WBO, WBA and IBF champion Joshua have struggled in the past to agree terms for a bout.
But Wilder is sure they will come face to face in the ring, telling Sky Sports: “It will happen. I believe in all my heart it will happen.
“I don’t want this to be a (Lennox) Lewis and (Riddick) Bowe situation.
“The heavyweight
“I have an obligation to give the fans what they want”
division is so lit right now, it’s so on fire now, and I have an obligation to give the fans what they want. I always say how we can try, but it is going to come back around.
“And the next time it does, the discussion, the deal that me and Joshua are trying to make, then I think something is going to get done.
“Like I tell people, I just want them to have patience, and comes patience comes time. Let us have moments and let us do what we do.
“When things go silent, that’s when the magic happens.”
Wilder also believes a rematch with Fury is on the cards.
Although Wilder scored two knockdowns, many felt Fury had outboxed him, only for the judges to render a draw.
“The rematch will happen, like all these other fights will happen,” Wilder said. “All these fights are in discussion. The big fights will happen.”