Eddie Hearn Confirms Joshua Will Fight Cardiff, Talks Undercard And Wilder
The biggest UK boxing event since Joshua-Klitschko is happening on October 28th according to Eddie Hearn.
The promoter revealed that Las Vegas is officially off the table and Anthony Joshua will defend his IBF World heavyweight title in Cardiff.
Kubrat Pulev is the mandatory challenger but the official deal is yet to be done since the Bulgarian and his promoter, Kalle Sauerland, are playing a bit of ‘mind games’ according to Hearn.
“October 28th is still the focus and I’d hope that we’d get that boxed off and formally announce very soon. We won’t be going to Vegas. We’ll be going to Millenium Stadium,” told Hearn in an interview with IFL.TV.
Should Pulev decline the offer, then Joshua will face the next IBF mandatory in line, Carlos Takam, but Hearn believes the fight will definitely happen.
“A few little mind games and negotiation games. If he [Pulev] doesn’t wanna fight, then we’ll move on and look at other guys. It’s a big fight for him. Big opportunity. That’s the plan on the IBF side,” he said.
After Pulev, the focus moves on to Luis Ortiz, who is the WBA mandatory challenger. The Cuban has been rumoured to be working a deal with Deontay Wilder.
“We have to deal with the WBA mandatory with no exceptions and then we have to fight who we want and that would be a unification fight with Deontay Wilder. If Wilder fights Ortiz, we could fight the winner actually sooner, which would be next spring,” told Hearn.
The promoter also discussed the undercard for the October 28th show, which might feature a big collision between two UK boxing rivals.
Lately, there have been strong rumours about Dillian Whyte fighting against Dereck Chisora again.
“There’s very good chance Dillian Whyte will be on that card,” revealed Hearn.
Both Whyte and Chisora have been photographed meeting with Hearn within the past seven days.
Good meeting today with old fast car @eddiehearn fight news coming real soon stay tuned peeps #TEAMBODYSNATCHER#BOXINGpic.twitter.com/dvPpnPuemP
— Dillian Whyte (@DillianWhyte) August 29, 2017
— Derek Chisora 🥊 (@DerekWarChisora) August 28, 2017
One would definitely start connecting some dots.
As for the rest of the undercard, Hearn confirmed a good amount of names.
“Big undercard, multiple world titles, all of our top boys. Gamal Yafai, Katie Taylor, Dillian Whyte, Frank Buglioni, Joshua Buatsi, Joe Cordina,” revealed the promoter.
READ MORE:
Pros React To Mayweather-McGregor Result
Watch: Mayweather-McGregor Party After The Fight
Glenn McCrory Discusses MayMac – “Conor Managed To Fool A Lot Of People”