Sources — Ex-champs Wilder, Joshua reach deal for March 9 clash

Former heavyweight champions Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder have reached an agreement to fight on March 9 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, sources tell ESPN.

The sides agreed on money, sources said, but both must emerge victorious and unscathed in separate fights on Dec. 23 in the Saudi capital to finalize a fight that was first discussed in 2019.

Joshua fights Otto Wallin in the main event on December 23 in Riyadh, while Wilder meets former heavyweight titleholder Joseph Parker. It is far from a foregone conclusion that Joshua and Wilder will win their respective fights before a potential confrontation which will be one of the most important in all of boxing.

“The reason this fight is happening between the two of them on the same night is to prepare and build up to a fight between the two of them,” Eddie Hearn, Joshua's longtime promoter, told ESPN on Thursday in San Francisco. “So the contracts are not signed, the negotiations are continuing. But everyone wants to fight this fight.

“…Everyone says, 'Well, why are you fighting hard before Deontay Wilder?' This is the fight offered to us by Saudi Arabia. Joshua has never turned down a fight. Wallin was on our list for the last two fights. The only reason we didn't box him is because that he's a southpaw. So to fight a southpaw on six weeks' notice with a new trainer, not ideal, but [the Saudis] like combat. They like fighting. Crossed fingers.”

Just two months ago, WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury survived a scare in Riyadh when he was knocked down by former UFC star turned boxer Francis Ngannou, before holding on to win a split decision victory and move on to an undisputed heavyweight championship fight. with Alexander Usyk. The Fury-Usyk deal was announced in advance and scheduled for Dec. 23 ahead of Fury's much tougher-than-expected exit.

Joshua, ESPN's No. 4 heavyweight, is just a -425 favorite against Wallin, according to ESPN BET. The English Olympic gold medalist will be coached by Ben Davison for the first time after two fights with Derrick James in his corner.

Joshua's best career victory came in 2017, when he survived a knockdown to score an 11th-round TKO of Hall of Famer Wladimir Klitschko. The victory at a sold-out Wembley Stadium was named ESPN's 2017 Fight of the Year. Joshua also has a win over Parker, but hasn't looked like the same fighter since a seventh-round TKO loss to Andy Ruiz in June 2019.

Joshua (26-3, 23 KO) regained his three heavyweight titles six months later in a rematch with Ruiz in Riyadh. Back-to-back decision losses to Usyk followed.

The 34-year-old is on a two-fight winning streak, but struggled at times before scoring a seventh-round knockout over Robert Helenius in August. Helenius was brutally knocked out by Wilder in a single round in the American's last fight.

“If he neglects me, good for me,” Wallin, 33, a native of Sweden and fighting in New York, told ESPN on Tuesday. “And if it's true that they made the Wilder fight, I think that's a good thing. He needs to come out and look good in his fight, and if he doesn't, he's going to be frustrated .

“…The only reason they would have a rematch clause is because they're afraid he'll lose. …So I feel like as soon as you push Joshua a little bit, Eddie Hearn is not happy.”

Wallin (26-1, 14 KO) is ranked No. 10 by ESPN and is coming off his career-best win, a split decision over former cruiserweight champion Murat Gassiev in September.

Wallin has been in a similar situation before. It served as a tune-up for Fury in September 2019 ahead of a planned clash with Wilder the following year. Wallin threatened to win the fight and caused a cut that left Fury with 47 stitches above his right eye. “I feel like I have no pressure, just go out there and have fun like I did with Fury,” he said. “… [Joshua] knows he is vulnerable and he knows he can get hurt, fall, stop and lose fights. … What made him good was he was aggressive, a good puncher and looked for a type of save. But it has changed a lot and it has lost part of what made it so good. »

Wilder, ESPN's No. 3 heavyweight, is also in a tough spot. The 38-year-old is a -700 favorite, according to ESPN BET, to defeat Parker on December 23. Wilder is perhaps the biggest puncher in the history of the heavyweight championship. All but one of his victories came by knockout, and he stopped Bermane Stiverne in the first round of their rematch.

And despite being winless in his trilogy with Fury, Wilder beat Fury four times in the first and third fights. This third fight with Fury in November 2021, which Wilder lost via 11th round knockout, was named Fight of the Year and KO of the Year by ESPN.

Wilder (43-2-1, 42 KO) has only fought one round since, a first-round knockout of Helenius in October 2022.

Parker, meanwhile, is ranked No. 8 by ESPN at heavyweight. The 31-year-old New Zealander has three wins against limited opposition following an 11th round knockout loss to Joe Joyce in September 2022.

Parker (33-3, 23 KO) scored a majority decision victory over Ruiz in 2016 to win a vacant title, but dropped the belt to Joshua by decision three fights later.

“I know Parker has had his defeats, but he's in a good place right now and Wilder is coming off a long period of inactivity,” Hearn said. “If Parker can get through four or five rounds, it's not that easy either. So if they both win, I think we'll get there.”