Deontay Wilder is looking ahead to a potential fight with Anthony Joshua.

Wilder is keen to get in the ring with Joshua and told BBC Sport that the bout is “the number one fight in the world”, emphasising that he’d like the fight to happen in Africa.

He said: "We both have roots from there.

"I think it would be an amazing place to have it, to go back home. To go back to the motherland. A continent full of our people. I can just see that being an amazing fight, win, lose or draw.

"I think we'll get the respect and love from all the people over there."

First though, he must make his comeback after taking a year out as he’s set to fight Robert Helenius in New York this weekend.

Why does Deontay Wilder want to fight Anthony Joshua?

The pair have been close to fighting before but it’s never actually happened, making this a good opportunity to get it done.

Also, they both come from back-to-back defeats making the idea of a showdown appealing.

It goes without saying that the pair could achieve a big payday from the encounter too.  

Bournemouth Echo: Eddie Hearn and Anthony Joshua (PA)Eddie Hearn and Anthony Joshua (PA) (Image: PA)

Who could Anthony Joshua fight next as Fury fight falls through?

Joshua missed the deadline which Tyson Fury set at the end of September to fight him on December 3.

DAZN reports that Eddie Hearn, the promoter of Joshua, told The DAZN Boxing Show that he was hoping that Joshua would face “two top-15 guys”.

He said: “I always felt that after the Usyk fight, he should comeback with two top-15 guys, then Fury dangled the carrot and AJ took the bait, but now that’s not happening I think it’s still the same plan really.”