Why did Joshua duck Wilder his whole career

The trouble with Wilder asking for 50-50 in 2018 is his actually track record at that point.
His first $2m pay day was a televised fight against Luis Ortiz in March of that year.
His first PPV was against Tyson Fury in December of that year. Fury was given 40% on the split

Wilder was just dwarfed by Joshua in terms of what his side could guarantee in 2018. Demanding 50-50 was barely a realistic start point for negotiations, yet his team seemed to be drawing a line in the sand

 

I can see both sides of the argument. I wish they just did 60-40 to the winner, instead of some stupid ego psychological battle. It would have been an unbelievable fight in 2018/19.

AJ was more marketable in the UK. In terms of guaranteeing - Wilder had the final belt and AJ needed Wilder to become undisputed. AJ would have broke into the ridiculously huge missing American market had he beat Wilder.

 

Joshua was more marketable globally at that point. For example, I live in Japan and there were cutouts of him in general sports stores; Joshua was one of the global faces of Under Armor alongside Steph Curry back then. Wilder brought the last belt granted, but he hadn't really established himself in his home market, and wasn't seen by sponsors as particularly marketable either, so it would be difficult to bring guarantees. Though of course, two undefeated heavyweight champions---one from Britain, one from the U.S.---should sell itself, but Joshua was just too big a marketing giant in comparison at that point. Joshua had the track record, Wilder didn't. I can't think of too many (if any) 50-50 splits under such circumstances. Wilder putting his foot down on 50-50 was ill advised

 

Mong Squad couldn't box as well as AJ, but could end his brand with one punch. Hearn knew it, AJ knew it, all the corporate sponsors knew it.

Wilder had less to lose as he was basically the underdog with the less lucrative brand. He also has been the one calling for the fight in recent years and being rejected. AJ was always A-side and could have made it happen. Everybody body wanted that fight. The only logical conclusion is that AJ ducked.

The idea Wilder was scared of AJ after the Ruiz fights is also pretty ridiculous.

The 100 million story is a laughable myth. There is ZERO chance Finkel rejects that deal when his whole life has been about exploiting for money. That was the ultimate prize for a swindler. That would have basically been the greatest cashout for a promoter ever. But what, Finkel instead chooses to take safe moderately lucrative fights instead as a strategy? It makes no sense at all from a financial standpoint.

 

You're not wrong at all. AJ was huge in 2018 and was seen as a hero and role model. Everyone pretty much kissed his butt then.

AJ's highest PPV numbers was against Parker in March 2018 at 1.8 million. Followed by Klitschko the year before in 2017 at 1.6 million, and the Ruiz rematch in Dec 2019 at 1.5 million. I will admit I find it impressive AJ V Parker got 1.8 million, and that AJ V Wilder no doubt would have got even more.

PPV numbers haven't been anywhere as high for AJ since the Ruiz rematch, had AJ fought Wilder instead of Povetkin (1.2 million) in September 2018, or instead of the first Ruiz fight (500k) - I have no doubt that PPV numbers would have hit 2 million had AJ fought Wilder. This is the UK figures, not including the possible American figures. The hype was genuinely huge for that specific fight then between two undefeated champions with near 100% KO rates.

Hard to say how much AJ - Fury gets this year if it happens, a few years ago it would have hit 2 million too for sure but I'd guess 1.6-1.8 million. The hype for AJ - Fury has defo died down a fair bit but its still a huge fight.

Source of PPV numbers in the viewership section https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony_Joshua

 

I agree it makes no sense. But the DAZN offer was declined before Joshua lost to Ruiz and Lou Dibella was then on the outs

 

Wilder ducked AJ, he pretty much admitted it.

 

Comparable with a slight advance for wilder . 2025

 

You literally have a video where Wilder & Finkel talk about rejecting the DAZN deal and Finkel said he has a better financial option for Wilder while confirming the offer was genuine and legit, lol.

 

I didn't and don't. I never have.

It was:
- 3 belts Vs 1
- a major international draw Vs an unspectacular, mostly US, draw
- a legit contenders resume Vs a gatekeeper+ resume.

Joshua brought most of the belts, most of the money and most of the legitimacy to an undisputed bout (as much as I don't think either of them deserved to go down as a former undisputed champ!)...
Wilder was the most hyped opponent left for Joshua to fight, but that's about it.

50/50 would've been absolutely ridiculous.

Wilder never wanted it, complaints about the split were realistically more likely than not an excuse to keep on ducking it - turning down a career high payday and the potential for a serious place in history off the back of only ever beating a single contender (if he'd beaten Joshua) just doesn't make sense in any context other than acknowledging that he just didn't want it.

 

He did it all the time. He rejected the offer for September 2018 because there was no rematch clause included, but one of his reasons of rejecting the DAZN deal in 2019 was "there are 2 fights with AJ and I think he will retire after the first where I knock him out so the contract won't be fullfiled." You literally can't make this stuff up.

 

The first Fury fight was a duck of AJ to fight what he saw as a spent force. It was a cherry pick gone wrong.

I always felt AJ would be so scared of the right hand he would have been ironed out early. I wonder if Wilder regrets not fighting AJ instead now given what Fury did to him.