Hearn gives Wilder six weeks

EDDIE HEARN has put a six-week deadline on talks to make a blockbuster showdown between Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder. After stopping Alexander Povetkin, Joshua will return to Wembley on April 13 with the prime aim of securing a fight against WBC champion Deontay Wilder, who faces Tyson Fury on December 1. Hearn says he cannot wait until December before concluding negotiations for Joshua’s April fight, with Dillian Whyte in the wings if the Wilder talks collapse, as they did in the summer.

Hearn told Sportsmail: ‘We cannot wait until the WilderFury fight to make our decision on AJ’s career. I would like to know where we are with Wilder’s team in the next five or six weeks because we cannot really go longer than that.’ Talks with Wilder’s camp resumed a week ago after a prolonged spell of radio silence following the aborted efforts in the summer to make a bout, in which Wilder was offered $15million (£11.5m). An April rematch with Whyte, whom Joshua beat in 2015, is likely if discussions do not accelerate.

Hearn said: ‘Dillian Whyte is an option. Right now I would say it is even money between it being Whyte or Wilder but we do want Wilder. I think there is a good chance we will make a deal.’ Hearn also revealed details of Joshua’s troubled build-up to his 22nd career win. He said: ‘It was the worst camp ever. He had a back problem after about two weeks, and eight weeks out it was 50-50 whether he would be able to fight. Then three weeks out he had an elbow problem and a week out he got the flu. It was mad.’