If Turki Alalshikh has his way, there is a possibility that American heavyweights Deontay Wilder and Jared Anderson may face each other on August 3.
The revival of the prestigious weight class and the inclusion of fighters on Riyadh Season cards can be attributed to the chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority. He has successfully implemented measures to ensure that top promoters worldwide permit their fighters to participate in these events.
Over the past few months, we witnessed Wilder vs. Joseph Parker and the subsequent match between Parker and Zhilei Zhang. In both instances, the New Zealander emerged victorious, propelling him back into the realm of world title contention.
Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury will finally face off on May 18, determining the first undisputed heavyweight champion in boxing history. Following this monumental event, Filip Hrgovic will put his IBF mandatory slot on the line against Daniel Dubois, just two weeks later. Additionally, Wilder and Zhang will engage in a highly significant fight in the latter stage of their careers.
If Wilder, the ex-WBC heavyweight champion, wants to avoid another back-to-back defeat and emerge victorious against Zhang, his next fight might pave the way for a return to America to take on the rising star, Anderson.
Earlier this morning Alalshikh posted a photograph of himself and Anderson on Twitter/X and wrote, “The talented Jared Anderson is with us now on August 3rd Riyadh Season card at LA against the “Bronze Bomber” Deontay Wilder – if he’s ready by then to fight after 1st of June fight against Zhilei Zhang.”
Jared Anderson
Anderson, who remains unbeaten in 17 matches, is widely regarded as a potential heavyweight champion in the future. However, going up against Wilder would be a significant test for the 24-year-old. In a recent forgettable fight, Anderson triumphed over Ryad Merhy by points. Additionally, last year, he secured victories against Andrii Rudenko, Charles Martin, and George Arias consecutively.
On August 3, the BMO Stadium will host a promotion with an exciting lineup. The main event will showcase pound-for-pound number one Terence Crawford as he challenges Israil Madrimov for the Kazakh’s WBA light-middleweight title. The undercard is filled with thrilling matches, including a potential classic between super-welterweights Tim Tszyu and Vergil Ortiz Jr. Additionally, Cuban talent David Morrell will face off against Radivoje Kalajdzic in the 175lbs category. Isaac Cruz will defend his WBA super-lightweight strap against Jose Valenzuela, while heavyweights Andy Ruiz Jr and Jarrell Miller will set aside their friendship for a crossroads fight.
