Fight fans want Anthony Joshua to fight Wilder next

 by Press Association

DEONTAY WILDER has shaded Tyson Fury as the opponent fans want Anthony Joshua to take on next when he returns to action on April 13 at Wembley Stadium.

Joshua retained his WBA, IBF and WBO heavyweight titles with a savage seventh-round stoppage of mandatory challenger Alexander Povetkin last weekend.

Attention has already turned to his next foe and, in an effort to find out who presented the most appealing option, Joshua put out a poll on Twitter that closed just after midday on Tuesday, with Wilder beating Fury and Dillian Whyte.

Nearly half a million votes were cast and WBC beltholder Wilder, the only man preventing Joshua from holding the ‘undisputed champion’ tag in the heavyweight division, polled 53 per cent.

Joshua said himself after disposing of Povetkin that Wilder would be his preferred option, although the American must first get past Fury when they meet on December 1.

Fury collected 42 per cent in Joshua’s poll although that number would surely increase if he were to defeat Wilder later this year.

British rival and Matchroom stablemate Whyte represents the easiest showdown to make, with the pair fierce rivals since their amateur days and Joshua claiming bragging rights when they met in the paid ranks three years ago.

However, the Brixton fighter was a far less palatable choice for most fans and only pulled in five per cent of the vote.