Joshua warned Wilder could end his career due to AJ’s ‘terrible’ trait

Retired British heavyweight David Price believes Deontay Wilder will be too much for Anthony Joshua if they ever fight each other. Communication lines have been opened between both parties about the possibility of a fight next year, but Price is confident Joshua’s ‘perfectionism’ will get the better of him.

Joshua and Wilder have been linked to a fight with each other since both men first became world champions back in 2015 and 2016 but a fight has yet to come to fruition. However, with both men currently in a rebuilding process after recently losing their belts, a fight between the pair is looking more likely than ever.

Back in October, AJ’s promoter Eddie Hearn sent Wilder’s manager Shelly Finkel a ‘big money offer’ for a fight with the Watford powerhouse. After a delayed response due to Wilder’s preparations for Robert Helenius, Finkel wrote back and confirmed interest in the long-awaited showdown.

The bout is unlikely to be either man’s next fight with Joshua expected to box Dillian Whyte in March or April and Wilder booked in to face Andy Ruiz Jr in a WBC final eliminator, but it could be made for the back end of 2023.

“He’s a perfectionist and it’s a terrible trait for a sportsman because you can say you’re a perfectionist and that’s good but when nothing less than perfect satisfies you, that’s when it becomes a problem that you’re never satisfied and you’re never happy with your performance.

“Wilder’s almost raw still, he doesn’t care how it looks, it’s about getting the job done and I think that will tell in the fight. He will let his hands go more and be less tentative and that will be what wins the fight.”

He added: “I’d build back up, one more defeat could be a disaster for him. The Dillian Whyte fight makes sense… then he can look at fighting maybe [Tyson] Fury, Wilder, there’s loads of good fights out there.”