Anthony Joshua wants Wembley unification showdown with rival Deontay Wilder after Kubrat Pulev Cardiff title defence
ANTHONY JOSHUA wants to fight WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder at Wembley - and has not ruled out taking on David Haye should he beat Tony Bellew.
The Watford boxer is currently in training ahead of his world title defence against Kubrat Pulev on October 28 at Cardiff's Principality Stadium.
Speaking to Sky Sports boxing pundit and former world champ Johnny Nelson on , Joshua said: “This little devil on my shoulder — the fighting man says Wilder at Wembley boom.
“And then this devil on this shoulder, the manager hat says ‘what’s best to guide my career,’ so it's playing devils advocate and putting them together and seeing what works out best for my career.”
“If it’s pushed that way, it has to happen and I just think I’m going to do things my way.
"If Wilder works we’re going to make it happen, if Wilder isn’t the right opponent for next year, then we’ll put it back into 2019.
“But I’m just going to do things my way, people just can’t rush my career, that’s what I’ve learnt.
"I’ve got a career I need to map it out, I’m going to take fights at the right time for me and if it’s next year or the year after or the year after when I fight him I’ll be in a position to beat him."
Joshua said Wilder has a head start on him in the professional ranks, explaining that the American was a professional boxer before him.
He added: “I’m not looking at it like I’m the champ and I’ve only got five more fights left in me and I’m out the game.
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"I started boxing 2018, Wilder turned pro 2009, so he’s been a pro one year longer than my whole career.
“So you can see why they’re rushing him for certain reasons and you can see why I’m taking my time for certain reasons.
“The fights are there, but as I say I’m going to do it in my own time when I feel ready."
Joshua said he is happy with how fast he has risen to superstardom.
“I’m happy with the pace definitely because we wouldn’t be here, we wouldn’t be talking about these fights.
"It’s being realistic where I’m at and understand this is a career as well because who knows, I could take that fight next year and it might not be the right time, I may of needed another two months.
“As I say the fighter on my shoulder says let’s rock and roll the coach on my shoulder says ‘you know what Josh, you need to just work on a few more things before you take a fight like that.
"Because when it’s all said and done, all that matters is that win, not the fact that people say ‘he didn’t fight him here and he didn’t fight him there’.
"The manager, my coach will determine when I fight Wilder, me on this hand says it’s no problem we’ll fight whenever."
Joshua says he and his coach are on the same page with regards to the path he is taking.
He added “I listen to what my coach says, he says, ‘this isn’t about putting on a good show for the promoter, this is about your career — your health and the decisions you make will pave your way in the sport of boxing so you have to be smart about each decision you make."
Joshua was also asked if David Haye was able to get past Tony Bellew, would he be in the mix as a possible opponent.
He answered: “Yeah, that’s what I’m saying, there’s so many fights out there, yeah, they're all in the mix for sure, so that’s what I mean there’s options, it’s not like I’m stuck with one fight or one option."
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