Shelly Finkel, the co-manager for WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder, has indicated that his boxer has a full plate of fights in the works for 2019 – and a unification with Anthony Joshua is more likely for 2020.

 

Wilder is back against mandatory challenger Dominic Breazeale on May 18th at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

 

And Joshua is back to defend his IBF, IBO, WBA, WBO titles on June 1 at Madison Square Garden in New York, with the opponent likely being Andy Ruiz.

 

Following the bout with Breazeale, there is talk that Wilder will collide with either Luis Ortiz in a rematch or a voluntary defense against Adam Kownacki.

 

Finkel also hopes things can get worked out for a co-network pay-per-view fight against Tyson Fury, who signed an exclusive deal in the United States with Top Rank and ESPN.

 

Fury will first return on June 15, in a clash with Tom Schwarz at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

 

While Finkel would like to see the second fight take place in 2019, Top Rank’s CEO Bob Arum has stated in several interviews that a Wilder-Fury rematch is more likely for next year.

 

“He’s fighting his mandatory now, then we have a pretty full slate for this year, then we will discuss fighting Joshua next year. The name calling, the immaturities that are in the press, they won’t help but won’t hinder making the fight,” Finkel told Tha Boxing Voice.

 

“They are all in the works. There is nothing confirmed at this point, the only thing that is locked in is the fight with Breazeale on May 18. If everything goes the way we hope it will, we will then discuss his next fight.

 

“I have spoken with [DAZN top executive] John Skipper more than once. Him and I are developing a very good relationship, I’m very fond of him. Those talks will continue, and eventually it will lead to a fight of Deontay and Joshua.”