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Joshua wants to unify all the belts and his desire to do so is apparent every time he gets near a camera. He has urged his promotional team to arrange unification fights, and it is believed that an announcement for a fight with Joseph Parker in April could be soon.
AJ wants to unify the heavyweight division in 2018
Although a fight against Parker next is a forward and sensible move for the relatively inexperienced WBA and IBF Champion, a fight with WBC title holder Deontay Wilder is the fight all fight fans want to see.
And Barry Hearn is optimistic the blockbuster bout can take place after holding recent talks with the American's advisor Shelly Finkel.
"I've known Shelly Finkel for 30 years, sociably as friends, as business people," Hearn exclusively told Sky Sports. "We sit down, two old men, discussing fights we would like to see made. I can't call them positive, but I call them open as two friends would talk openly."
Hearn is an advisor to AJ
"The detail will go down when Eddie sits down with Al Haymon, because they are the two guys who actually call the shots. Shelly and I are advisors and I think it's a fight that we would both like to see. There is no reason why it can't be staged next summer."
"The big problem you've got with anyone who fights Joshua is - the demands of the opponent financially, because you've got this financial juggernaut called Anthony Joshua that brings so much to the table, in comparison to what other people bring."
A fight with Parker is likely in Spring 2018
"There is a premium for belts of course, because Anthony has made it clear he wants to collect all the belts, but it's not a silly premium. Of course, when you get people who haven't had the earning power that Joshua has, this is their big pay day."
"Put yourself in their position. I'm sure they will all talk the fight up, I'm sure they all fancy winning. But realistically, they are putting their career on the line against one of the most fearsome heavyweights I have ever seen and for that, it brings along the expectancy of a big purse."
Hearn believes Joshua will become the undisputed Heavyweight Champion by the end of 2018. He believes a win against Parker will be routine and then the blockbuster fight against Wilder will also end in the Londoner’s favour.
A fight in late summer or early atumn 2018 is likely against Wilder
"If Parker's people are serious about fighting 'AJ' in March-April time, and I think they are - again they are probably unrealistic, but I don't think they are too far away," said Hearn.
"That could obviously be the WBO belt and Deontay Wilder - that fight has to happen at some stage. Is it the summer of 2018? Or is it November-December 2018?
"I believe it would certainly be one of those dates. I believe for a particular moment of time, by the end of 2018, Anthony Joshua will have more belts around him than Father Christmas will have around his stomach."
AJ and Eddie Hearn hold all the aces and will dictate the negotiations
Fighting talk from Hearn, and although he isn’t AJ’s promoter, he is an advisor. So, talks with one of Wilder’s advisors shows us the negotiations are on going. I believe Wilder wants a 50-50 purse, but is he being realistic?
He’s a heavyweight world champion, like Joshua. Unlike Joshua, however, he’s American. But it seems the American fight fans have taken more to the British champion. In Wilder’s last defence, he wasn’t even on pay per view TV. Joshua sells out 90,000 Wembley Stadium for his fights, they’re all pay per view, because the boxing world wants to watch him.
Being a champion, Wilder deserves a decent cut, and I believe he should be offered a 60-40 cut. If the fight doesn’t go ahead, I think it will be Wilder demanding too much for his one time when he will be box office.
Sources:
www.betotg.com
www.skysports.com
www.worldboxingnews.net
This fight should happen by summer in 2018. Both fighters are at their prime and will be good for the HW Division.
Nice post..
Thanks.
This needs to happen ASAP i think everyone is waiting on this fight to see who the real champ is
Wilder gon get whipped, Joshua is a grown man boxing and Wilder swings with no precision