Eddie Hearn has poked fun at Ben Shalom’s plans for heavyweight contender Matin Bakole to face Deontay Wilder next.
Bokole returned to the ring at the weekend for the first time since his statement win over Tony Yoka 11 months ago – defeating Ukraine’s Ihor Shevadzutskyi by stoppage in the third round.
After the victory his promoter and head of BOXXER, Shalom, told Sky Sports that a fight with former champion Wilder ‘has to happen’.
”The obvious route is the WBA and we have Daniel Dubois ordered to face Oleksandr Usyk for the world heavyweight title. That should go to purse bids soon.
That leaves No.1 and No.2, Deontay Wilder against Martin Bakole, either for the interim or a final eliminator – it has to happen.
Wilder has been put up there and he’s not even been active. But Martin Bakole, after just winning, will be onto the WBA on Monday. For me Deontay Wilder is the fight he should be getting next.”
Eddie Hearn, has made no secret of the fact he’s trying to make a Wilder vs Joshua fight for December in Saudi Arabia and is flying out this week to try and secure a deal.
In response to Shalom’s comments, Hearn reacted with shock and amusement in an interview with iFL TV.
“You’re having banter with me?! Okay, well when I’m In Saudi Arabia next week talking about the biggest fight in history, I’ll mention Martin Bakole to them and see if they’ve ever heard of him.
Listen Martin Bakole is a good fighter but obviously I don’t think that conversation is going to go down very well.”
All the attention in boxing’s blue-ribbon division has turned to a potential mega card in The Middle East, with plans to host Wilder vs AJ and Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk on the same night at the end of the year.