DEONTAY WILDER wants to fight Anthony Joshua next and has the backing of his trainer and manager.
Wilder's coach Malik Scott responded to rumours of a stunning four-man heavyweight tournament in December in Saudi Arabia.
It would see the American face Joshua, with Tyson Fury fighting Oleksandr Usyk and the winners then meeting in a finale.
Scott confirmed Wilder is targeting a blockbuster showdown with AJ and has the green light from himself and manager Shelly Finkel.
He told iFL TV: “If you ask me, that’s the only fight I want for Deontay.
“If we could get Usyk, of course, because he’s got the belts. I’m fully with that. But I’m very, very big on Deontay fighting Anthony Joshua.
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“I think it’s good not just for boxing, I think it’s good for so many reasons…
“Every time someone comes to me and says, ‘What’s next for Deontay?’ I always say, ‘I’m hoping for Joshua.’
“Deontay wants the fight, I want the fight, Shelly Finkel wants the fight. This whole side over here wants the fight.
“We’re gonna see what AJ does now, the ball is kind of in his court, so we’re gonna see how he’s gonna take advantage of it. We’re ready.”
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Wilder, 37, has not returned since knocking out Robert Helenius, 38, in round one of his October 2022 comeback bout.
Meanwhile Joshua, 33, beat Jermaine Franklin, 29, on points in his return at the start of April.
Promoter Eddie Hearn hoped it would be the first of a hat-trick of 2023 fights for AJ, to keep him busy.
But just days later, Joshua announced his next bout was not scheduled until December.
Hearn has since confirmed he is set for talks in Saudi over a super-fight for AJ at the end of the year against Wilder or Fury, 34.
And the promoter admitted money men in the Middle East do indeed want to pit the division's big four against each other.
Deontay wants the fight, I want the fight, Shelly Finkel wants the fight. This whole side over here wants the fight.
Scott – who was knocked out by Wilder in 2014 – also spoke out to claim the stunning idea is being explored.
He said: “I’m on the inside of the meetings, Deontay has me sitting right to him when we’re doing these meetings.
“What I can say is the things people are hearing are not fibs.
“The negotiations have begun, not with certain fighters or certain things, but the negotiations are definitely in tact…
“Everything is getting together, we’re gonna see what fighters really wanna fight at that level.
“The ones that do, Deontay is gonna knock out and he’s gonna become two-time heavyweight champion of the world.
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“I can say that those rumours are true, negotiations are going on and big fights are gonna be happening.
“Not just with us, with a lot of top fighters out there in the heavyweight division in Saudi Arabia.”
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