Anthony Joshua is literally hours away from his fight against Daniel Dubois in London. However, the boxing world is digging up an old rivalry on social media. You see, as the world is on the edge of their seats to see the British duo enter the ring to knock each other’s heads off, people on X are contemplating how a bout between Joshua and Deontay Wilder can materialize. 

Everything started when Boxing Kingdom, a popular boxing-focused X handle, brought up the topic on the platform. It’s worth noting that Wilder last appeared in the ring against Zhilei Zhang in June this year, and suffered a devastating 5th-round KO loss. In fact, since his second loss to Tyson Fury, Wilder hasn’t been the same. So, the question is, why now?

Anthony Joshua vs. Deontay Wilder in 2025

Turning to X earlier today, Boxing Kingdom asked their followers, “Would you like to see Anthony Joshua vs Deontay Wilder in 2025?” Interestingly, a fight between these heavyweights had been a talking point for years. In the past, negotiations had started just to end, leaving boxing fans scratching their heads.

This fight had almost become a reality late last year when Joshua was fighting Otto Wallin and Wilder was pitted against Joseph Parker. The deal was if both men won their fights, they would lock horns with each other next, but Wilder lost the fight to Parker, and the Joshua vs. Wilder fight never happened.

This brings us to today—as Joshua is about to fight Dubois, Boxing Kingdom reminded people of this fight that remained out of grasp. As you might have guessed, people had things to say about it. 

Fan shares grim prediction for Wilder

Having been starved of the fight for years, fans had a variety of opinions about it—while some said no outright, others still saw a glimmer of hope for it. One user didn’t think the fight was a good idea for Wilder. “Nah bro its a grudge mismatch at this point,” the user wrote. Considering Wilder’s last few fights, even ‘The Bronze Bomber’ might not want Joshua in the opposite corner. 

Meanwhile, this user didn’t seem opposed to the idea. The user proposed, “If wilder wins his next one and Joshua loses today, why not?”  It’s worth noting that there’s still no clarity on Wilder’s next opponent or if he even decides to fight again. 

Conversely, this user seemed overly confident about Joshua’s capabilities while sharing a grim prediction for Wilder. The user wrote, “For what reason? AJ pieces him up in 4 rnds just like he would’ve in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023.” Notably, a few days ago, during the Off The Cuff segment, Joshua revealed he is still not opposed to the potential fight.

This user didn’t seem like a big fan of Deontay Wilder. “Would we finally get rid of Wilder that way? He was always vastly overrated and has looked pitiful since Fury,” the user noted harshly. Wilder has always faced criticism for cherry-picking his opponents, which is the reason his downfall wasn’t too surprising for many boxing purists. 

Another user, like many in the boxing world, felt that the time for this bout had passed, but admitted they would still tune in to watch. “Just a few years too late, but I would still tune in,” the user remarked. If Joshua wins today, the Wilder fight will be officially out of question. If, for some strange reason, things go Daniel Dubois’ way, there is an off chance we may still see this fight.

Will the Anthony Joshua vs. Deontay Wilder fight ever happen? While highly unlikely, if Joshua and Wilder agree, nothing is stopping them from getting in the ring. But the question is, will people watch?