Hearn gives crucial update on Joshua-Wilder fight
Matchroom Sport kingpin Eddie Hearn has given an update of the ongoing negotiations for the potential fight between Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder.
The contest would crown an undisputed heavyweight champion of the world, but Hearn admitted he thought the contest was dead as recently as last week.
We made an offer four weeks ago and they came back on Monday – three and a half weeks later to accept – we thought the fight was dead, we had got the [Alexander] Povetkin fight ready for September,
But we take this very seriously because it’s a fight Joshua wants, now we’re putting the contract together and expect to have it with them close of play tomorrow.
Hearn iterated his hope that the positive response from the Wilder camp was genuine, and not just a response to the option of Povetkin.
Hopefully they’re for real; a lot of people have said they are only accepting the offer because they heard we were going to fight Povetkin,
The promoter then gave a clue as to when the clash would take place:
Originally the plan was September for Wilder at Wembley, we want it at Wembley badly…We can’t do that now, because firstly Canelo and Golovkin have taken the date (in September) and secondly, ten weeks isn’t long enough to do the worldwide media tours you would need for this fight,
Joshua is in camp now, but if it drags on we will fight Povetkin which doesn’t mean we stop with Wilder. We would still sign for the fight with Wilder but it would have to be after Povetkin, I’m not having Joshua’s career held up by Wilder…Now we are looking October/November but it would have to be in Cardiff, which isn’t a problem so we will look at it and the dates.
The principality Stadium looks destined to play host to the historic fight, which would produce a first lineal champion in the heavyweight division since Tyson Fury.