Anthony Joshua has been avoiding me for two years, claims Deontay Wilder
Wilder says Josh is afraid of his power, but AJ's promoter Eddie Hearn insists the money the American is asking for is out of "Fantasy Island"
DEONTAY Wilder has accused Anthony Joshua of ducking a fight with him for two years.
WBA and IBF boss AJ wants the unification fight with the Bronze Bomber but his promoter Eddie Hearn insists Wilder’s financial demands for the match-up are coming from “Fantasy Island”.
Watford hero Josh sells out 90,000-seater Wembley and Cardiff's 70,000 Principality Stadium – while Wilder only earns around £2million a fight for filling New York's 19,000 Barclays Centre.
But the heavy-handed US giant insists the Brit icon – who fights WBO king Joseph Parker on March 31 - is ducking him because of his power and not because he is demanding the lion’s share of the money.
Wilder said: “The big fight is me and Joshua, of course, and that's who I want.
"I've been calling him out for almost two years now. A lot of people think this just started, but it didn't, it started years ago.
"I told people to do their research and their history, then they'll come up with the facts instead of the fiction. But, I want to unify by all means necessary, whether Parker has it or Anthony has it.
"It doesn't matter who has it, I want to unify and I can't be clearer than that."
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Wilder says he will use his March 3 fight against Luis Ortiz to send a message to the rest of the division.
He told the two-time drug cheat: "Luis Ortiz you about to go down.
“I'm going to use you as an example for the rest of them.
"People say you got skill, people say you got will, they say you King Kong, the boogeyman as well.
“All of these things they relay you as, but the Bronze Bomber is going to beat your ass."
Fight fans are desperate to see AJ and Wilder get it on.
But the Brit may now instead turn to a New York fight against local Jarrell Miller, 29, once he gets done with Parker.
Hearn said: “While Deontay Wilder continues to live at a street address on ‘Fantasy Island,’ this [Joshua-Miller] is the fight that we will look to make in August.
“And I’m already in talks with [the Barclays Center’s] Brett Yormark, that all being well on March 31, New York is the venue for Anthony Joshua’s next fight. If that’s not against Deontay Wilder, Jarrell Miller will be the guy.