‘He dragged my name through the mud’: Anthony Joshua satisfied after Deontay Wilder admission
The Briton is preparing to face Kubrat Pulev in a mandatory defence of his world heavyweight titles
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Anthony Joshua has accused Deontay Wilder of “dragging his name through the mud” after the American’s admission he was offered more money to fight the Briton than Tyson Fury.
Wilder has hit out at Fury for failing to honour his word with the WBC world heavyweight champion set to move on from a trilogy fight and instead face a different opponent on 5 December.
And Wilder broke his silence last weekend and has continued to accuse Fury of failing to fulfil an agreement for a third fight after their rematch in January: “You know I was offered more money to fight Joshua than I was getting to fight you. Again being a man of my word, I fought you.”
While Joshua has reacted with relief at what he claims to be the truth surfacing surrounding a failure to come to terms in 2019 with Wilder over an undisputed fight.
“It makes the ultimate sense. It's hard because at the time when people are talking and you see lots of media stuff, you start to believe what that person is saying," Joshua told Sky Sports.
“When time goes by, naturally the truth will always reveal itself. I get a lot of stick but I take it with a pinch of salt. He admitted it. We made him a lucrative offer but he wanted to face Fury.
“So be it. If that's what he wanted to do, fine. But he dragged my name through the mud. While Wilder was trying to make me look like a bad person, that I didn't want to enhance the sport, or fight certain fighters, I just had to roll with the punches.
“He has come out and said it himself. We offered him a really good deal but he wanted to fight Fury. People can take it how they want, and see what the truth is now.”
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