Deontay Wilder: Klitschko should've retired on top, his time is over

There's been a lot of talk buzzing over what appears to be an impending fight between IBF heavyweight titlist Anthony Joshua and former champion Wladimir Klitschko. But another one of the division's champions, Deontay Wilder, believes that although Klitschko might be determined in his mind to become champion again, he believes that his body just can't do it anymore.

"I just believe Klitschko's time is coming to an end. Father time is coming for him and sometimes when father time hits, it's time to get out of there," Wilder exclusively told World Boxing News.

"Your mind will be telling you to do one thing but your body is doing the other as there's a delay. I think Klitschko has that delay from so many years in the sport, along with his trainer Emanuel Steward passing away. He's not having that teaching anymore, he's under somebody else and probably just doing what he wants to do instead of listening to the other trainers."

Klitschko did appear to have trouble pulling the trigger in his last fight against Tyson Fury, where he lost all of his world titles, but he's also never been confused for a volume puncher and fighting an awkward style like Fury's may have just made him look bad. That, in part, was the point of intrigue for some fans who looked forward to his rematch with Fury -- to see if he could correct those issues. But alas, that rematch wasn't meant to be.

So although Klitshko seems to be turning his attention to another title holder in Anthony Joshua, Deontay Wilder thinks he's just too long in the tooth to recapture his prior glory, saying that Klitschko should've just retired while he was champion.

"The only mistake he made is that he didn't retire on top. He should have retired on top, every champion wants to retire on top and now I think he's searching for something, he wants his titles back. I don't think he's got a chance though because he's not only got to go through Joshua, but he's got to go through a Deontay Wilder as well too. I'm sure if he could accomplish that though he would then retire, but I know it won't happen."

A recent BLH poll asking which fighter fans would favor in a bout between Klitschko and Joshua has thus far resulted in about a 60-40 split in Joshua's favor, perhaps lending itself to Wilder's theory of Klitschko being past it.