Last week Deontay Wilder and his management declined the reported flat fee of $12.5 million to fight Anthony Joshua and negotiations for the biggest heavyweight title fight in world boxing continue next week.
Matchroom is hosting another show stateside on April 28 with Danny Jacobs and Katie Taylor topping the bill at the Barclays Center in New York and Promoter Eddie Hearn is planning to make to most of his trip and meet the WBC World heavyweight champion’s management in New York next week in order to progress fight talks.
“I’m going to look to meet up with them in New York, get face to face with them, look into the whites of their eyes, and just see if we can make a deal. We’ve made an offer that we feel is substantial, if not we’re happy to talk about the numbers and look at their ideas as well,” told Hearn to Sky Sports.
Joshua’s list of future opponents is filled with names such as Alexander Povetkin, Jarrell Miller, and Tyson Fury but the one that ‘AJ’ wants now ‘The Bronze Bomber’ and deal with mandatories and other challenges later.
“Anthony’s made it clear – that’s the fight he wants next, the Deontay Wilder fight,” said Hearn.
Been #Blessed
By the #Best 🥊#BombZquadpic.twitter.com/bhyJI0Cy5F— Deontay Wilder (@BronzeBomber) April 10, 2018
“With these mandatories coming up as well, Povetkin, and the possible IBF mandatory, I’ve said before there’s not many opportunities to make an undisputed fight. Really the focus is for us to make the Deontay Wilder fight next,” he added.
Should the Wilder fight not happen next, then the newly assigned WBA Super mandatory challenger Povetkin could fight Joshua before the Americans.
“If not, it has to be the one after, and we’ll have to deal with a mandatory in the meantime. It could be Alexander Povetkin.
“Generally from AJ’s side, from our side, from the team’s side, the Wilder fight is one we have no problems with at all. We’ve just got to find the right deal and we’ll be trying to do that next week in New York.”
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