‘ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN’
Joshua’s April 13 opponent still not clear though Hearn insists Wilder and Fury are the top choices
EDDIE HEARN has indicated that negotiations with WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder’s team about a future showdown with WBA, IBF and WBO boss Anthony Joshua are underway again.
Hearn accepts that Wilder is more likely to rematch Tyson Fury – with whom he shared a contentious draw on December 1 – than agree to head to Wembley Stadium on April 13 to face Joshua but would nonetheless seek out the American’s team in New York this week.
Hearn, who was criticised in the summer when previous negotiations with Wilder’s team collapsed, is under pressure to find a leading opponent for Joshua following Fury’s sensational scrap with “The Bronze Bomber” in Los Angeles.
The likeliest opponent remains the winner of the December 22 rematch between Dillian Whyte and Dereck Chisora.
“If we get Wilder, which would be our number one choice, brilliant,” said Hearn on Monday (December 10). “If we get Fury, which is our number two choice, brilliant. If not, we look at December 22 and say the winner of that fight is a must, if we don’t get Wilder or Fury.
“The heavyweight scene is vibrant right now you have to say, the winner of Whyte-chisora is the number four heavyweight in the world. Beyond that you’ve got Luis Ortiz, Jarrell Miller and a whole list of guys that would all give you competitive fights and that hasn’t been the case for a long, long time.
“The winner [of Whyte-chisora II] will not just want to fight ‘AJ’, the public will say ‘Okay, you can’t get Wilder or Fury, so fight Whyte or Chisora.’ And if they win by brutal knockout, and these guys are shouting and screaming for a world title shot, people’s opinions quickly turn. Don’t get me wrong, the public, now, want Aj-wilder or Aj-fury or a Furywilder rematch. After December 22 that could all change.”
There had been reports that Oleksandr Usyk is primed for the April date with Joshua but these have since been rubbished by the undisputed cruiserweight champion. Hearn, too, all but ruled out the Ukrainian.
“Apparently that’s already done for April 13 but we’ve not had a conversation with Usyk [about Joshua],” Hearn said. “I’m seeing him this week and he’s coming over for the fight next week as well. Usyk, unless he’s completely crazy, will want one or two fights at heavyweight before he fights Anthony Joshua.
“Jarrell Miller is another one. Maybe we go to America. Miller against one of these guys [Whyte or Chisora], if Joshua gets Wilder. Anything can happen on April 13, anything. It could be Wilder, it could be Fury, it could be Chisora, it could be Whyte, it could be Usyk.”
Hearn – who is now in America to watch over Rocky Fielding’s bout with Canelo Alvarez – wants to meet with Wilder’s team following failed negotiations in the summer. The two camps could not strike a deal back after a string of public moves from both sides failed to have the desired effect.
“I can’t tell you now [who Joshua will fight],” said Hearn. “I made the mistake last time, we both did, both camps, of talking too much during negotiations so I’m not saying anything this time.
“I’m going to try because I want to make it [ Joshua-wilder] happen.”