Eddie Hearn says he’s going to contact supervisor Shelly Finkel to try to put collectively a combat between Deontay Wilder and Anthony Joshua subsequent or the one after in 2023.
(Picture credit score: Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing)
Hearn admits that he’s eager on matching Dillian Whyte towards Joshua (24-3, 22 KOs) subsequent, regardless of the broadly held perception that ‘The Physique Snatcher’ deserved a defeat final Saturday evening towards Jermaine Franklin in London.
With Hearn badly eager to match Whyte (29-3, 19 KOs) towards Joshua, it’s questionable whether or not he’ll put a lot effort into making an attempt to place a combat collectively between former WBC heavyweight champion Wilder (43-2-1, 42 KOs) subsequent.
There’s an excessive amount of danger concerned for Joshua to face a man like Wilder, and it will be a catastrophe for AJ to get knocked out in a single or two rounds by ‘The Bronze Bomber.’
Nonetheless, it will be much better for Joshua’s profession to combat Wilder subsequent relatively than a tainted Whyte, who many boxing followers thought was given a hometown determination over Franklin final weekend in London, England.
If Joshua is extra centered on simple cash and getting a sure-thing win, the 34-year-old Whyte is the best way to go. But when Joshua chooses Whyte, it’ll be a domestic-level conflict as a result of U.S. boxing followers received’t get enthusiastic about that match-up.
That will be the equal of this weekend’s match between Tyson Fury and the journeyman Derek Chisora. Whyte is a barely taller model of Chisora however with a weaker chin and worse fundamentals.
“Perhaps they’re making an attempt to push the [Andy] Ruiz combat somewhat bit, or perhaps they need it. I’ve to achieve out to Shelly [Finkel] right now,” mentioned Eddie Hearn to the DAZN Boxing Show about Deontay Wilder’s administration being enthusiastic about going through Anthony Joshua subsequent.
“There are loads of choices for Deontay Wilder. Firstly, I’ve the Anthony Joshua combat, which is a large combat for Deontay Wilder. I even have the Dillian Whyte combat. I’d nonetheless prefer to make Dillian Whyte towards Deontay Wilder.
“I’d be comfortable to have a look at each of these fights. For the time being, AJ’s plans are he is because of combat in late March, and we’re locking that in. May that be Wilder? Presumably. I’m open to that dialog.
“In my head, due to the Andy Ruiz scenario and all the pieces, it was one for the summer time or definitely 2023. We’re greater than prepared to have that dialog.
“Clearly, Dillian Whyte’s win through the weekend kind of opens up that scenario for Whyte towards AJ, however we additionally perceive that AJ towards Deontay Wilder is likely one of the greatest fights in boxing.
“So undoubtedly, we’d be open to creating that combat subsequent and even the one after,” mentioned Hearn.
The way in which that Hearn’s eyes lite up when speaking about Whyte as a possible subsequent opponent for Joshua, he would seem like the frontrunner for AJ’s subsequent combat.
Hearn desires the Joshua-Whyte II rematch in the identical approach he was desperate to match Canelo Alvarez towards the pale 40-year-old Gennadiy Golovkin final September as a substitute of constructing the rematch between the Mexican star and Dmitry Bivol.