‘Final eliminator’ – Deontay Wilder urged to chase box-office Anthony Joshua bout after comeback KO ...Middle East

Deontay Wilder has been urged to put his reputation on the line and fight long-time rival Anthony Joshua.

‘The Bronze Bomber’ made a winning return to the ring from a year-long hiatus on Friday night with a routine stoppage victory over Tyrrell Herndon.

It was the first time he has competed since being brutally knocked out by Zhilei Zhang in June last year.

Despite taking on a huge underdog in Herndon, Friday’s bout was considered a last throw of the dice for 39-year-old Wilder, with defeat likely to spell an end to his stellar professional career, which includes three fights with British boxing legend Tyson Fury.

While it was a far from vintage display, the American ultimately got the job done with a seventh-round stoppage, after dropping his opponent twice.

Now he’s back in the win column for the first time since October 2022, and despite showing signs of decline, former three-weight world champion Duke McKenzie believes there’s only one place to go next — Wilder vs AJ.

“If you look at it in the cold light of day, that’s the only fight out there for either of them,” the British boxing legend told talkSPORT.

“If either want to make any type of assault onto the world stage again and fight for a title, this has to be the final eliminator for the pair of them.

“Joshua hasn’t got anywhere to go — if you take Tyson Fury out of the equation, which would be the obvious fight that doesn’t look like it would be made anytime soon — then it’s the only other fight that makes any business sense.

“Reputations on the line, for Joshua and Wilder, those two surely have to clash in their very next fight.

“There isn’t anyone else out there for them to fight, they’ve got to fight one-another.”

A long-rumored bout between AJ and Wilder seemed close in late 2023, but any plans were derailed when the latter was soundly beaten on points by New Zealand’s Joseph Parker in Saudi Arabia.

That was followed by the crushing fifth-round defeat to Zhang last year — a loss that, to many, looked like the end for Wilder — who then drifted off the radar.

But a winning return against Herndon has sparked renewed interest in a blockbuster fight with Joshua, even though AJ’s camp are hopeful for an all-British bout with Fury.

“Joshua hasn’t got time to hang around,” McKenzie added, pushing back on the idea that AJ vs Fury is the fight to make.

“He’s got to get out there, re-establish himself.

“There’s not a bigger name in world boxing than Wilder now he’s kind of re-established himself.

“Let’s just say he goes out there and blows Wilder out of the water, then he can call out Tyson Fury. Then let’s say he beats Fury… he’s back in the big time.”

AJ’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, last month suggested a bout with Wilder would be possible if the American could get his career back on track.

“If (Wilder) keeps winning, maybe people can talk about that fight,” Hearn said.

“It’s definitely not a fight that I rule out, but people don’t give Wilder much shot against AJ right now, but hopefully he can start looking good again.

“I don’t think anybody now would fear fighting Deontay Wilder, whereas at a point, everyone thought: ‘Oh my God, this guy is the biggest puncher in the history of the sport.’

“Now, everyone wants to fight him, so we shall see.”

With a win against Herndon, Wilder has gone some way to reigniting his career.

And given there are few other fights out there that make sense, he will surely have hopes of finally stepping into the ring with AJ soon.

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