Anthony Joshua: The year was 2018, and both Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder stood tall as undefeated kings of the heavyweight division. Between them, they held every major title — setting the stage for what was meant to be a colossal showdown for the undisputed championship.

But fate had other plans. In December 2018, Wilder battled Tyson Fury to a dramatic draw, with the expectation that he’d next meet Joshua in a unification bout. Just a few months later, in March 2019, streaming giant DAZN offered Wilder a massive $100 million, three-fight deal, including two clashes with Joshua. Wilder turned it down, claiming the deal lacked transparency.

While negotiations fell apart, Joshua pressed forward — only to suffer a stunning upset loss to Andy Ruiz Jr. that June. Since that defeat, Joshua has struggled for consistency, going 6-4 over the past six years. Wilder, meanwhile, went on to face Fury twice more — losing both by knockout — and has since managed just one win in his last five bouts.

READ MORE : Eddie Hearn: Anthony Joshua is running out of time to cement

Now, with Wilder turning 40 on October 22 and Joshua hitting 36 a week earlier, both veterans are looking to revive a rivalry that once promised to crown an undisputed champion.

Wilder (43-4-1, 42 KOs) is set to return to action this Friday, taking on Tyrrell Herndon (24-5, 15 KOs) at Charles Koch Arena in Wichita, Kansas. The fight will headline a Global Combat Collective pay-per-view, distributed by BLK Prime, Fubo, and PPV.com for $24.95.

Joshua (28-4, 25 KOs) is recovering from elbow surgery and plans to return later this year for his first bout since being stopped in five rounds by Daniel Dubois last September — a fight that left his comeback hopes hanging in the balance.

“If the fight with Joshua happens, and everything lines up, why not?” Wilder told The Ring. “We’ll handle it when the time comes. He’s still in the game, and so am I. I’m here for the big fights — not chasing anyone, just making the matchups fans want to see.”

RELATED NEWS : Boxing Update: Anthony Joshua Now In Discussions For Mega Figh

Still, Wilder made it clear he won’t beg for the bout.

“I’m not going to be out there holding signs for a fight,” he said. “I never chased anyone. If they didn’t want to fight me, so be it. I’ve always gone after the biggest fights possible.”

The two heavyweights were supposed to meet last year, but Wilder’s upset loss to Joseph Parker derailed those plans, while Joshua scored a commanding stoppage over Otto Wallin in December 2023 in Saudi Arabia.

Wilder’s attempt to bounce back against Zhilei Zhang in June ended even worse — a brutal fifth-round knockout defeat that left his future in doubt.

It feels like a lifetime since Wilder terrorized the heavyweight division as a lean, explosive knockout artist. His reign as WBC world champion began in 2015 with victory over Bermane Stiverne, followed by 10 successful title defenses — until Tyson Fury ended his dominance.

Now, after overcoming personal battles and mental health struggles, Wilder is determined to mount one final run — targeting the opponents who once eluded him, including Oleksandr Usyk.

“I still want the biggest fights out there,” Wilder said. “I don’t care who it is. I’m not living in the past — those guys didn’t want to fight me because they feared losing. I just wanted to be undisputed, but many avoided me. That’s fine. I’m still here, still dangerous, and this time, I’m coming back stronger than ever.”