The face of Matchroom Boxing, Eddie Hearn is hopeful in the coming days to conclude talks for his charge, Anthony Joshua’s next heavyweight world championship title fight.
The unified IBO, IBF and WBA (Super) world heavyweight champion is expected to finalise an agreement which will allow him to meet New Zealand’s WBO world heavyweight champion in 2018.
? More awards!@YahooSports ?
Fight of the Year: @anthonyfjoshua vs Wladimir @Klitschko
Promoter of the Year: @EddieHearn, @MatchroomBoxing
Event of the Year: #JoshuaKlitschko pic.twitter.com/TLH2MS8rZ3
— Matchroom Boxing (@MatchroomBoxing) December 29, 2017
The showdown has been penciled in to take place on March 31st. Additionally, the contest is supposedly being planned to take place at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium.
It will be Joshua’s second consecutive fight at the Welsh national stadium. ‘AJ’s last fight with Carlos Takam took place at the venue, who coincidentally also suffered defeat also at the hands of Parker, last year.
Round of 2️⃣0️⃣1️⃣7️⃣❓
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What a fight, what a night! ? pic.twitter.com/J0YxRwKW4a
— Matchroom Boxing (@MatchroomBoxing) December 29, 2017
Ahead of the highly anticipated announcement of the showdown, it is believed that Joseph Parker accepted a figure of somewhere between 30-35% for the unification match-up. According to reports from Parker’s native homeland, he is expected to make up to $12m for the first Joshua fight.
THE RING Magazine Fight of the Year 2017: Anthony Joshua versus Wladimir Klitschko rekindled memories of heavyweight glory days: https://t.co/bI05eW853o @anthonyfjoshua @Klitschko @EddieHearn @MatchroomBoxing @TomLoeffler1 @Tom_Gray_Boxing #boxing
— The Ring Legacy (@RingMagazine_) December 29, 2017
However if he is successful, he will be in line for a whole lot more. Parker will then have the opportunity to stick it to Joshua and his team good in the negotiations for the rematch.
The contract is believed to stipulate that if Parker beats Joshua he will take 55% of the revenue split in a rematch.
Hearn, however scoffed at suggestions the rematch clause is to protect Joshua.
“I won’t talk about the deal but what I will say is that a rematch isn’t for [Joshua’s] protection.”
“If he wins, he’s going to make an absolute fortune in the rematch. If it’s a good fight and Joe loses, we’ll do it again no problems.” Hearn told The Herald on Sunday.
“It’s a carrot to show [Parker] what’s possible – it’s an incentive to get him to take the fight.”
“If he beats AJ, the first fight he will want after is a rematch because it’s the biggest fight in boxing. If he does win he’s also going to be the biggest star in the sport,” Hearn concluded.
If this gets made this press conf is going to be interesting ? https://t.co/SEsFFOPNIZ
— Eddie Hearn (@EddieHearn) December 28, 2017
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