Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder both fought at the Olympics and won boxing medals for their countr

Publish date: 2024-06-11

Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder are rivals around the top end of the heavyweight division today.

Joshua is the former WBA, IBF and WBO champion while Wilder previously held the WBC title and the two are eager to reclaim their former glories.

Many UK fans are hoping AJ still fights Tyson Fury before they both end their careers, with an all-British fight - regardless if there are belts on the line - a mouth watering prospect.

However, the Joshua vs Wilder rivalry will undoubtedly reignite again one day with many also keen to see them face off eventually now Wilder has confirmed he will continue boxing.

In their younger days, though, they shared a common path to world titles when they competed at the Olympics.

At Beijing 2008, a 22-year-old Wilder represented America in the amateur 'heavyweight' division.

And ten years ago at London 2012, a 22-year-old AJ took the home nation's spot in the amateur 'super-heavyweight' division.

Wilder was actually in the division below Joshua as the amateur 'heavyweight' division is equivalent to the professional cruiserweights, while the amateur 'super-heavyweight' equates to the pro heavyweights.

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In his first bout, Wilder staggered Algeria's Abdelaziz Toulbini with a big left hook and the referee gave a standing count.

The American continued to dominate and forced a second standing count before ultimately winning by a wide 10-4 margin on the old amateur points system.

In his quarter-final, Wilder met a tougher test in Morocco's Mohamed Arjaoui and only won by narrow count-back tiebreaker with the scores even at 10-10.

His road came to an end in the semi-final as Italy's Clemente Russo outclassed Wilder, beating him 7-1.

Regardless, he went home with a bronze medal for his efforts.

Four years later, it was AJ's turn.

The home favourite had some good fortune in his opening bout as he narrowly made it past Cuba's Erislandy Savon 17-16, despite many feeling he'd lost.

From there though, Joshua was more convincing.

In his quarter-final he floored China's Zhang Zhilei and won 15-11.

AJ outpointed Kazakhstan's Ivan Dychko 13-11 in the semi-final and then had to face reigning Olympic champion Roberto Cammarelle in the final.

After a tough start, Joshua battled back to level the score at 18-18 as the bout came to a close.

He claimed victory via the count-back tiebreaker and was announced as Olympic champion in front of an ecstatic home crowd.

Both Joshua and Wilder claimed medals at the Olympics and went on to win world titles as professionals.

For Joshua, ten years after his proud moment, he is looking to become a three-time heavyweight champion, but faces his toughest test.

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Having lost his belts to Oleksandr Usyk in September 2021, he has the chance to win them back in August.

Do that and he joins elite company in the form of Lennox Lewis, Muhammad Ali and Evander Holyfield as boxers who have become heavyweight champions at least three times.

Usyk vs Joshua 2 on talkSPORT

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