WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder although not even fighting tonight, or even being attendance for that matter, has been nonetheless a major story line all week ahead of tonight’s heavyweight unification in Cardiff, Wales.

Instead he will watch the bout on TV from his home country as he eyes the winner of tonight’s mega fight in the heavyweight division.

Speaking to Kugan Cassius of IFL TV, he has now responded as to why he will not be at tonight’s bout:

“I got the offer to come to Sky Sports to be a commentator for the show. You know, I enjoy being next to Adam (Smith) and Carl (Froch) calling the fights. I enjoy that. I said I would do this but only under one condition – if Joshua were to win I wanted to get in the ring look him in the eyes, man to man, face to face and ask him in front of 70,000 people and the media watching – does he want the fight?”

The key problem according to Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn was that, according to Hearn, Wilder wanted the whole act of him getting in the ring with Joshua (if he won) to be scripted and not organically let happen – how Joshua would have wanted.

Wilder blasted Hearn as a “manipulator” in response.

He also added:

“May the best man win and if I don’t see you (Joshua) after, I’ll see you before the end. Because all roads lead to The Bronze Bomber.”

Wilder to his credit although not being in attendance this week in Wales has somehow still managed to get quite a bit of media ahead of tonight.

That being said, you can’t help but feel if he was there tonight the build-up to a potential fight with him and Joshua (if Joshua wins) would have been gargantuan.

For the full interview check it out here on IFL YouTube: