Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Anthony Joshua vs Deontay Wilder: Eddie Hearn reveals American's team are not responding to negotiations

Hearn insists he is keen to make the super fight to decide the undisputed world heavyweight champion 

Jack Rathborn
Tuesday 22 January 2019 13:49 GMT
Comments
Deontay Wilder says Anthony Joshua is 'begging' to fight him

Eddie Hearn has bemoaned how Deontay Wilder’s team will not even respond to his efforts to negotiate a mega fight with Anthony Joshua.

The American, who holds the WBC world heavyweight title, drew vs Tyson Fury last year, with AJ holding the WBA Super, WBO and IBF straps.

But as Joshua’s date at Wembley on April 13 approaches, Hearn is still without an opponent and insists the prospect of the Bronze Bomber stepping up are remote.

“We can’t get any response at all from their team. In the last four or five weeks, I’ve sent five or six emails to Shelly Finkel (Wilder’s promoter),” Hearn told Sky Sports. “They won’t even have the decency to come back.

“I think they’ve made their mind up – they don’t want to fight Anthony Joshua. It’s frustrating because I think we’re in a place where it’s a really great deal.

“Wilder has always said ‘one face, one name, one champion’, but the deal we’ve offered is more than a fair split for Wilder. And it’s two fights – one in the UK and one in the US.

“But he’s not even entertaining that fight. Wilder won’t even answer the phone, so that’s well out the window.”

Anthony Joshua is still without an opponent for his next fight

Dillian Whyte was excpected to be the contingency plan should negotiations fail to progress with Wilder, but the British contender has slammed an “utterly ridiculous” offer for a rematch against his domestic rival.

“There’s been the first offer, but it’s utterly ridiculous, it’s way less than what I made to fight Chisora,” Whyte told talkSPORT.

Eddie Hearn has hit out at Deontay Wilder's team 

“It is a ridiculous offer, they’re not serious about the fight. It’s ridiculous, the offer comes with other options as well.

“It’s silly; I’m a pay per view fighter, I’ve built myself up. It’s not like I’m a journeyman, I worked my way up to No 1 with two governing bodies.”

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in