DEONTAY WILDER has accused Anthony Joshua of using “one of the oldest tricks in the book” when it comes to selling tickets.
AJ has proven to be one of the biggest boxing stars of recent years, headlining at Wembley, the Principality and Tottenham’s stadium.
And twice this year he returned in sellout fights at the O2 Arena.
But rival Wilder has accused Joshua’s team of manipulating the ticket sales by buying them out and issuing them on for free.
He said on The Last Stand: “I’ve said it many times before and I’ll say it again, it’s a difference between champions being born and being made.
“Joshua was made, he was a made fighter. They bought things, they gave him things.
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“Even with certain things, with the arena, ‘Oh, they sold this’. No, you didn’t sell out nothing. You comped tickets and you resold them.
“I know how the whole game works. I’m behind scenes. I know how things work.
“You wanted it to seem like it sold out, you put your tickets out there, and you build your own little ticket thing and you buy all your tickets.
“Now it seems like you sold out the arena. What you do? All you do is put it back on the market and resell it.
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“It’s one of the oldest tricks in the book, when it comes to the business and now people on the outside looking in, ‘Oh my God, they sold out faster than Michael f****ng Jackson’.
“Are you serious? That’s how it is. That’s how the trick is done.”
Wilder, 38, and Joshua, 34, prepare to share the same card in Saudi Arabia next Saturday.
AJ faces Otto Wallin, 32, while Wilder returns after over two years out against ex-WBO champion Joseph Parker, 31.
Should both heavyweight superstars win, it will set up a blockbuster years in the making as Wilder assured fans he still has a lot left to give.
He said: “I’m young. I just turned 38 but we have got to understand that I started very late. I started at 21.
“I haven’t had much damage on me. I’m still sexy, I still talk very well, I handle business very well. I’m still energetic.
“I think I’m a seasoned fighter right now. I’m seasoned right now and a lot of people will see it come December 23rd, what I mean by that.”
Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
