‘A treacherous business’: Joshua and Hearn left to rebuild shattered plans | Donald McRae

After Deontay Wilder’s dire defeat by Joseph Parker, Anthony Joshua will have to navigate a different path to redemption

Anthony Joshua should have fought Deontay Wilder six years ago this month. In December 2017 Joshua held the IBF and WBA versions of the world heavyweight title and, after a remarkable victory over Wladimir Klitschko eight months earlier, his record was a flawless 19-0. He was 27 years old and at the peak of his profession. Wilder, with his 38-0 record including 37 victories by stoppage, was the WBC heavyweight champion and the most imposing knockout merchant on the planet.

There was considerable risk in a unification fight, for both men, but they were in their physical and psychological prime as heavyweight champions and they would almost certainly have produced a riveting contest. Of course promotional rivalries, sanctioning body shenanigans and the rampant egos of boxing’s powerbrokers meant that the fight never happened. It was only this month that contracts were apparently signed by both Joshua and Wilder for them to meet in March 2024 in Riyadh. Those delayed plans have now been consigned to the fight game’s overflowing dump of ruined dreams.