Boxing guru Monty Betham says the title bout was marred by over-officiating in Joshua's favour.
Deontay Wilder has accepted Anthony Joshua's challenge and "is ready to sign and come to the UK to fight this summer" in a unification contest to decide the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world.
The US fighter's team are ready to begin immediate negotiations, Wilder's co-manager Shelly Finkel confirmed on Monday, after promoter Eddie Hearn stressed the need to get the fight signed for this year.
The American fighter is prepared to accept a 60/40 split of the fight purse with the two camps having already broadly discussed a two-fight scenario, with the first contest most likely at Wembley Stadium and the second in Las Vegas or New York.
"We are really glad that Anthony Joshua said for the first time 'I will fight Deontay next...' and we believe he is a man of his word. Deontay accepts the challenge," Finkel told Britain's The Daily Telegraph.
Joshua had been quick to call out Wilder in the ring immediately after defeating Joseph Parker in Cardiff, where he claimed the unbeaten New Zealander's WBO title to go with his own IBF, WBA and IBO belts. Now only American Wilder, the WBC champion who is undefeated in 40 contests, stands in the way of the Briton unifying all the division's belts for the first time in history.
Finkel revealed to the Telegraph that he will make contact with Eddie Hearn, Barry Hearn and Matchroom Sport this week, wanting to stress that Wilder, for whom he is co-manager with the influential Al Haymon, is committed to the contest. "We want to make it public that Deontay wants the fight, and we are prepared to come over, or meet here and get the deal done. Deontay is ready to sign and come to the UK to fight this summer."
Eddie Hearn said on Sunday morning that there is a small window of opportunity before Joshua must defend three other belts against mandatory challengers. In response, Finkel, who has the authority to get the contest signed from the Wilder side, told the Telegraph: "We're ready. Let's do it. And anyway, unification fights always trump mandatories. A unification between Wilder and Joshua would push the mandatories back.
"Assuming it will be Wembley Stadium in the summer, we are ready, and if they are ready as they say they are, we want to get it done. We want the fight, they want the fight, the public wants the fight. There is nothing to stop it going ahead."
Deontay Wilder poses with the WBC heavyweight championship belt. Photo / AP Photo
Finkel confirmed that talks had taken place last October and November, conducted in New York with Eddie Hearn and then Barry Hearn respectively, in which the prospect of two fights being signed between the two heavyweight champions, one in the UK, and the other in the USA, were discussed. Then things stalled. "That was in November, we were told they would get back with a P and L [statement], with the numbers, but we never heard back from them again," added Finkel.
Barry Hearn, speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live's Sportsweek on Sunday, said: "[Wilder] is a fight Anthony Joshua really wants and I think he wants it this year. Joshua wants all the belts - that is the big card Deontay Wilder has got to play [but] commercially, Joshua is far bigger than Deontay Wilder. I think Wilder would come over here [the UK] because in the world we live in, in boxing, the couple of million dollars Wilder is getting for a fight is pretty small fry in comparison to the rewards that await him for a Joshua fight. I think negotiations will start next week."
Eddie Hearn, meanwhile, insisted at the post-fight news conference in Cardiff that "they don't want it. They've never approached us." According to Finkel, that is not the case. The bigger picture is that when Joshua boxes next will be a decision made by the fighter himself and his trainer Rob McCracken.
"I will present the deal to Anthony but it has to be the right deal," Hearn said. "It's not really about Wilder, it is about us. We will sit down over the next couple of weeks and plan out the rest of 2018. It's his [Joshua's] call on how many times he wants to fight this year." Finkel, meanwhile, told the Telegraph: "We are happy to come over and meet face to face. We think a 60/40 split is fair. Let's not have any roadblocks, let's make the fight. If they want it in the UK, fine. If they want the first one in Vegas, fine."
Finkel also explained Wilder's reasons for not attending the Joshua fight, the heavyweight having felt that he may have been subjected to unnecessary taunting from other quarters, such as Dillian Whyte. "We can get the broad contracts down, and then go over the finer details," added Finkel. "When I had Tyson and Holyfield, I picked up the phone. That's all we need to do here. If we get two great fights, there will no doubt be a third. That's the bottom line."
"If this was any other sport, the two leading players would be competing to find out the world No 1, and we have a huge opportunity to do this in boxing's great, histories division, and there's nothing in the way off it happening.
"These are two undefeated heavyweight champions. It has been a long time since we've had this opportunity. We are prepared to meet as soon as possible, anywhere, anytime, and when I meet Matchroom I will have the authority to make the deal. It's for the better for everybody, and the sport. Unless someone has another agenda. We are ready. Let's make the fight."
