Joshua: I'd rather fight Wilder in two years

Unified heavyweight world titleholder Anthony Joshua wants to face WBC titlist Deontay Wilder, but on the same token, he does not mind having to wait to face the destructive puncher for at least another year.

Wilder announced early Tuesday evening that he will face Luis Ortiz in a rematch. FightNights.com previously reported that the bout could take place on Sept. 28 in Los Angeles.

Wilder (41-0-1, 40 KO's), 33, of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, needed just 137 seconds to dispose of mandatory challenger Dominic Breazeale in a highlight-reel KO earlier this month. But he is set to face Ortiz (31-1, 26 KO's) again, who nearly knocked out Wilder in the seventh round of a sensational bout in New York last year. The round was so one-sided that all three judges scored it 10-8 for Ortiz even without a knockdown. However, Wilder stormed back in the 10th round to score an electrifying knockout.

"To all my fans, I want to announce that Luis Ortiz and I have signed for a rematch, with the date and site to be announced shortly," Wilder, a 2008 Olympic bronze medalist, tweeted on Tuesday. "All my controversial fights Must get dealt with ASAP #BombZquad."

Joshua (22-0, 21 KO's), a 2012 Olympic gold medalist, has no issue waiting for Wilder because from his perspective, it gives him more time to tune his craft before they finally meet.

“Since 2013 when I turned pro, probably after my third fight, they were asking when I'd fight Wladimir Klitschko. That's what's weird. It's true, there has always been pressure on me, and I feel that," Joshua said.

“Believe me; I'd rather fight Wilder in two years because I know I'll get better. Imagine two years ago when I was fighting Charles Martin then a few months before that I was fighting Dillian Whyte.

“Compare the type of fighter I was then to where I've got to now, in terms of experience. So then imagine in another two years fighting Wilder. I'll be a lot more sound.”

After knocking out Breazeale, Wilder promised the super fight with Joshua would eventually happen but urged his fans to be patient.

"This fight will happen. The big fight will happen, I promise you that, with patience, come time, and I just want you guys to have patience and give us a little time to make this thing happen, so we all benefit from it, not only just you fans. We risk our lives in here, so we want to make sure we get the best and the most money that's possible," Wilder said.

"We're risking our lives. The head is not meant to be hit in the first place, so let us get our time to iron out all the differences and you guys will know when that happens."

Joshua was also optimistic on Tuesday prior to the Wilder-Ortiz II announcement that the bout was still a possibility later in the year, stating in an interview with Sky Sports that he was willing to sit down with Wilder to iron out their differences and reach an agreement to fight. After all, Floyd Mayweather Jr. admitted that his infamous hotel suite meeting with Manny Pacquiao was the only reason why they were able to fight in their much-hyped 2015 clash, the most lucrative in the history of boxing. However, Joshua's efforts were cast aside -- for now.