Imagine this scenario: the ref waves off Tyson Fury in the 12th round of the first Wilder fight. Deontay retains his WBC belt and gains the claim to the lineal title. Because of that win his market value raises to the point he's actually not crazy demanding 50/50 split against Anthony Joshua. AJ's camp obliges and the undisputed heavyweight showdown is scheduled for April 2019 at Wembley Stadium. Who wins between fully confident Wilder who just beat the man who beat the man and Joshua not bothered by demons from Ruiz fight?
I always thought Wilder would've won if they fought prime-for-prime. Meeting now, of course, would be a different story.
I think Wilder would win the first one but Joshua could adjust in a rematch. They might need a trilogy to settle the deal. Of course with Wilder now, he'd get slaughtered. Their'd be no need for a trilogy.
Wilder lands the right hand at some point, Joshua isn’t elusive and unpredictable on the front foot like Fury was in the rematch.
Wilder had the power to put AJ away with one punch. AJ had the power to land a fight ending punch (even if it required a follow up combination to get the job done). AJ is technically the better boxer and more likely to land first, so I'd make him a narrow favourite. Could easily go either way, though.
Ruiz-Joshua 2 dominates the early rounds and basically makes Deontay look terrible. An insane right literally flattens Joshua in the middle rounds and AJ barely beats the count. Deontay, out of a sloppy whirlwind of wild punches, backing AJ to the ropes, misses a nuke right but lands the follow up hook. AJ's whole body is jolted, and he slumps sideways to the canvas. The ref was calling it off right after the hook, anyway.
