Promoter Eddie Hearn will hold a meeting with Deontay Wilder’s team in New York next week as negotiations continue for a fight against Anthony Joshua for all the heavyweight world titles.
Joshua is still waiting to receive a counter offer from WBC king Wilder, who did not accept a reported flat fee of $12.5m for a massive showdown with the British star, the IBF, WBA and WBO belt holder.
But Hearn will head out to America to resume talks with Wilder’s backers about the blockbuster bout for the right to become the heavyweight division’s undisputed champion.
“We made an offer last week. We haven’t heard from them yet,” Hearn told Sky Sports News. “There’s been a bit of talking behind the scenes.
“We are in New York next week for the Danny Jacobs fight and Katie Taylor unification live on Sky Sports.
“I’m going to look to meet up with them in New York, get face to face with them, look into the whites of their eyes, and just see if we can make a deal. We’ve made an offer that we feel is substantial, if not we’re happy to talk about the numbers and look at their ideas as well.”
Joshua could also join Hearn in New York as he is likely to attend Danny Jacobs’ bill at the Barclays Center, live on Sky Sports, which includes another potential opponent, Jarrell ‘Big Baby’ Miller.
The WBA have recently ordered Joshua to defend his WBA ‘super’ belt against Alexander Povetkin, who could face the unified champion first before the Wilder fight.
“Anthony’s made it clear – that’s the fight he wants next, the Deontay Wilder fight,” said Hearn.
“With these mandatories coming up as well, Povetkin, and the possible IBF mandatory, I’ve said before there’s not many opportunities to make an undisputed fight. Really the focus is for us to make the Deontay Wilder fight next.
“If not, it has to be the one after, and we’ll have to deal with a mandatory in the meantime. It could be Alexander Povetkin.
“Generally from AJ’s side, from our side, from the team’s side, the Wilder fight is one we have no problems with at all. We’ve just got to find the right deal and we’ll be trying to do that next week in New York.”
