Wilder agrees to heavyweight showdown with Joshua

One of the most highly anticipated boxing bouts is set to go ahead after Deontay Wilder officially agreed to terms with fellow heavyweight champion, Anthony Joshua.

Undefeated Wilder (40-0, 39 KO’s) agreed to the two-fight deal, with the first bout to take place in the United Kingdom.

A rematch is also included as part of initial fight deal, ending months of speculation as to whether the unbeaten heavyweights would lock horns.

“We have agreed to the terms that Eddie has put out to us for a fight in the U.K.,” Wilder’s co-manager Shelly Finkel told ESPN .

“Deontay has accepted his terms to fight in the U.K. Deontay sent an email to Joshua (Sunday) night and I sent one today to Barry Hearn and Eddie telling them that we officially accept the offer to fight under the terms they gave us and to send us the contract.”

Wilder had hoped to agree to a fight in the United States, having never fought outside of the USA, Mexico or Puerto Rico.

The location was one of the main points holding up the fight agreement before Wilder’s camp eventually agreed to hold it in the U.K.

That didn’t stop the world heavyweight champion from offering up another fight back in the U.S.

Joshua (21-0, 20 KO’s) has never fought outside of his native U.K. but as promoter Eddie Hearn told Sky Sports last week, Wilder needs the fight more.

“I don’t think they are too keen to do the fight in the U.K.,” Hearn told Sky Sports last week. “But I think they are slowly realizing that without Anthony Joshua, the future is not too bright and rosy for Deontay Wilder.”

The fight is pencilled in for February 2019.

With agencies