Champ Anthony Joshua shows off his hardware.getty images
World heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua committed his next two fights to Wembley Stadium in Sept. '18 and April '19, according to Gareth Davies of the London TELEGRAPH. Joshua will defend his IBF, WBA, WBO and IBO titles at the national stadium in September, with Russian Alexander Povetkin "almost certain to be the opponent who will be announced next week." Should he win, Joshua will have set the stage to unify the entire division in a match with Deontay Wilder, the WBC champion, next year (TELEGRAPH, 7/5). In London, Ron Lewis reported Joshua's promoter, Eddie Hearn, said that he hoped Wilder would be the opponent in April, although so far Wilder has "refused to entertain talk of a fight then." Joshua said, "I am returning to Wembley after two mega fights in Cardiff. I want to thank the supporters from Wales and Great Britain and also the people of London for patiently awaiting my return" (LONDON TIMES, 7/5).
BIG-MONEY FIGHTS: In London, Ron Lewis reported James DeGale gave up the IBF super-middleweight title that he regained in Las Vegas in April to "pursue some big-money fights," with a clash against Billy Joe Saunders or long-time rival George Groves "high on the agenda." Purse bids were supposed to be held for a match between DeGale and José Uzcátegui, the IBF’s mandatory challenger from Venezuela, but the 32-year-old Londoner, who admitted he is "likely to retire within the next two years," wants to be "free to chase bigger fights" (LONDON TIMES, 7/4).
