Deontay Wilder, the 40-year-old former WBC heavyweight champion, has publicly challenged Anthony Joshua to a fight following his points win over Derek Chisora at London's O2 Arena. Wilder, who walked past Joshua at ringside and fist-bumped him before telling him 'let's do it', is now calling for a showdown with the British fighter. Joshua, 36, has been largely absent from boxing since a fatal car crash in Nigeria on December 29th that killed two friends, though he last defeated YouTuber Jake Paul in December. Wilder's promoter, Eddie Hearn, confirmed Joshua had discussed the potential bout with him before the Chisora fight. Wilder, who also mentioned a possible hand fracture, stated he is ready for any heavyweight challenger and declared his intent to 'clean up the division'.

Joshua's return to the ring after his December 29th tragedy has been delayed, with his next fight previously set against Tyson Fury. Fury, who returned from retirement in January, is scheduled to face Arslanbek Makhmudov in April. Hearn revealed that Joshua had previously expressed readiness for Fury but now faces pressure from Wilder's challenge. The O2 Arena crowd witnessed Wilder's victory, which improved his record to 42 wins and 2 losses, as he vowed to face whoever is in the heavyweight division. His comments directly target Joshua, who holds a 29-4 record and is the mandatory challenger for Fury's title.

This development forces Joshua to address Wilder's challenge while still recovering from his personal loss and preparing for Fury. Wilder's bold move shifts focus to a potential super-fight that could revitalize the division, though Joshua's immediate priority remains his Fury bout. The heavyweight landscape now has two clear contenders demanding a fight, with Wilder positioning himself as the primary obstacle to Joshua's title aspirations. The boxing world waits to see if Joshua will accept Wilder's challenge or focus solely on Fury.