Lennox Lewis: 'We need action, not talk' from Anthony Joshua for Deontay Wilder fight
The former three-time heavyweight champion weighs in on stalled Joshua-Wilder negotiations
Lennox Lewis knows a thing or two about fighting under the bright lights, besting Evander Holyfield to become the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world and knocking out Mike Tyson to defend his title in what was, at that time, the highest-grossing bout in pay-per-view history.
You'll have to excuse him, then, if he's getting a little impatient for an Anthony Joshua vs. Deontay Wilder fight.
Delayed until at least April 2019 after three months of public negotiations and disputes, the highly anticipated heavyweight unification bout will have to wait until after a September bout between Joshua (21-0) and Alexander Povetkin (34-1) is expected to take place. And the 52-year-old Lewis, who facilitated his fair share of big-name battles during his own days in the ring, took to Twitter on Thursday to join the boxing world's collective sigh.
"When I was champ, I wanted to face the best to show the world who's best. Period," Lewis said. "I've heard them both speak on it, but I've also seen that AJ (Joshua) has changed his tune ... If both sides wanted this fight, it would be happening. End of story."
My thoughts on @anthonyfjoshua and @BronzeBomber situation are that when i was champ, I wanted to face the best to show the world who’s the best. Period. I’ve heard them both speak on it but I’ve also seen that AJ has changed his tune. This isn’t a 2yr down the line thing!
— Lennox Lewis (@LennoxLewis) June 28, 2018
Promoters have their own interest in making most money they can but fighters also carry weight in who they fight. If both sides wanted this fight, it would be happening. End of story. AJ taking povetkin fight first isn’t a deal breaker 4Wilder tho. Just don’t like the 2yr talk!
— Lennox Lewis (@LennoxLewis) June 28, 2018
Im not in on all the details of #JoshuaWilder negotiations but when I wanted to fight tyson before retiring, the only thing keeping that fight away was the networks. I told my team and HBO to make it happen... end of story. I don’t want to hear about anything else!
— Lennox Lewis (@LennoxLewis) June 28, 2018
Lennox acknowledged promoter Eddie Hearn's claim that Wilder can still agree to the historic unification showdown for a 2019 date in England. But he suggested "we need action, not talk" from both sides of the proposed fight, which, as CBS Sports' Brian Campbell noted, "would be the biggest fight the sport could make and the most anticipated the division has seen in over 15 years."
They way I see it AJ is the man. He gets to choose time and place for first fight. I’d make Wilder come to me also... but from what I see from Wilder, he’s willing to... and this is same attitude i would have. When the HW division finally has a pulse, we need action not talk!
— Lennox Lewis (@LennoxLewis) June 28, 2018
















