Eddie Hearn has revealed that two other heavyweights, along with Dillian Whyte, are in the running to face Anthony Joshua on August 12.
Joshua looks set to take on Deontay Wilder in Saudi Arabia this December, with both men making it clear that’s the fight they want.
‘AJ’ and Hearn have been open about wanting to get out again this summer to give the former two-time champion more experience under new trainer Derrick James before going up against the dangerous American KO artist.
That frontrunner for that fight is Dillian Whyte, with an offer having been sent to the ‘Body Snatcher’ this week. However, in an interview with Boxing Social, Hearn said that offer had been rejected and they were in talks with a further two heavyweights if a deal couldn’t be reached.
“We’ve made an offer to Dillian, he’s definitely not accepting that offer, he doesn’t have to. He’s always going to want more money than I think is the right number for that fight.
We are talking to two other fighters about fighting on August 12th. There is a chance it might not be Dillian Whyte, but we have to make a move this week really or the beginning of next week. It’s eight weeks this Saturday and obviously we’re having the ongoing conversations about the Deontay Wilder fight because a lot of it stems from that. Once the Wilder fight is locked in it makes the opponent on August 12 less of a factor.
Right now we want to fight Dillian Whyte, that’s 100% the fight that AJ wants, but if we lock in Deontay Wilder maybe we fight in someone else in the top 15 that we can make an easy deal with. It’s not so much AJ wanting to be in a missive fight in August if he’s got Wilder signed, it’s him wanting to fight, improve, learn under Derrick James and get back in the ring.
If it can’t be Dillian it will be someone else, but it’s still the plan to fight August 12.”
In an interview with Sky Sports, Whyte called the offer ‘unacceptable’ and said Joshua’s team aren’t serious about making the fight and are just using his name for clout.