Anthony Joshua: David Haye backs him in possible Deontay Wilder clash

anthony joshua is back in the conversation after Deontay Wilder crossed paths with him following Wilder’s win over Derek Chisora on Saturday. Former cruiserweight and heavyweight world champion David Haye believes the matchup still makes sense and says Joshua would have the edge if it happens. Haye pointed to the wear and tear each man has absorbed, saying Joshua has taken less damage.

Haye sees anthony joshua as the fresher fighter

Haye’s view is rooted in the different paths the two heavyweights have taken since both held world titles. He said Joshua has not been through the same kind of punishing fights that Wilder and Chisora endured on Saturday night, and that matters at this stage of a career.

That freshness, in Haye’s assessment, could become decisive if anthony joshua and Wilder finally share the ring. He also linked the point to aging in boxing, saying the number of shots taken over the years affects reflexes, timing, recovery and future training.

What the aftermath of Wilder’s win changed

The fight between Wilder and Joshua had once been linked when both were undefeated heavyweight champions, and it was expected to lead the first undisputed heavyweight title fight of the four-belt era. That meeting never happened, and Oleksandr Usyk later became the first undisputed heavyweight world champion since Lennox Lewis when he defeated Tyson Fury in 2024.

With both Wilder and Joshua no longer holding titles, the picture is different now, but the interest has not gone away. After Wilder’s victory over Derek Chisora on Saturday, he and Joshua crossed paths in the aftermath, adding new energy to a matchup that had long felt out of reach.

Immediate reactions from Haye and the fighters’ circle

Haye said Joshua showed resilience in his fight with Wladimir Klitschko and believes that ability still matters. “Wladimir Klitschko nailed him [Joshua] with some big shots and he really showed the heart of a lion, ” Haye said. “He came back and he ground it out. ”

He added: “He knows, going into these fights against potentially Fury and Wilder, that he has it and he hasn’t had to use it that often. ” Haye also said, “So, I think that out of the pack, I think AJ [will come out on top] because he has looked after himself. ”

Wilder’s own stance keeps the possibility alive. He told Joshua, “let’s do it, ” and said the fight makes perfect sense.

What comes next for anthony joshua

Joshua could still fight on two occasions this year, with both bouts set for the second half of the calendar. That leaves the door open for a major heavyweight move later in the year if the timing and the matchup line up.

For now, the focus stays on whether the renewed talk can become a real negotiation. If it does, anthony joshua may once again find himself at the center of one of boxing’s most discussed heavyweight possibilities.