NEW YORK — The stalled, icy negotiations between Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder are beginning to thaw and progress is being made, Joshua's promoter, Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Boxing, told Sporting News on Wednesday.
"I do think we'll get there," Hearn said at the Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden after a press conference to announce a Dec.15 fight between Saul "Canelo" Alvarez and Rocky Fielding.
Hearn also disclosed that Matchroom's latest offer to Wilder's camp includes multiple bouts.
"In our new deal, we have given them a two-fight deal, so one in the U.K. first — April 13 — and then one in America," Hearn said of attempting to secure matchups between the heavyweight champions. "So, great security for Deontay Wilder and both guys. It's a risky fight, a lot of money and a great opportunity, so I don't see why not."
"[Live-streaming service] DAZN is ready to put up a huge amount of money for Joshua vs. Wilder and we're looking forward to making it happen," Hearn added.
Hearn said Matchroom would entertain an offer from Showtime if the network that shows Wilder's fights makes one, but he added that "they can't pay the money DAZN will pay."
"It's in the bag, as Deontay Wilder says," Hearn added.
(DAZN is part of DAZN Group, parent company of Sporting News.)
What paved the way for Hearn's renewed optimism?
"I had a conversation with someone who's very close with [Wilder adviser] Al Haymon and who is a world-respected boxing lawyer, who approached me and said, 'Can I help you? We get on, I get on with that side.' I said, 'Yeah, listen, I'll talk to anybody if it means making the fight,'" Hearn said. "So we had some nice meetings in Chicago. We made a decent bit of progress — progress as much as we’re having discussions, which is a natural thing to do when you’re trying to make a fight."
He added: "It has been incredibly frustrating that [Wilder's manager] Shelly Finkel has continuously turned down meetings. I don't feel like he's doing the right job for his client in that respect. Even a breakfast and a coffee made me feel like there's a chance of this fight happening. I'm not saying we have to conclude the deal by Dec. 1, but we have to make progress and we have to have conversations."
Those conversations seemed to have been permanently halted earlier this month when Wilder doubled down on calling Joshua a "coward" and insisted that the unified heavyweight champion is afraid to fight him. The recent communication represents some type of movement toward seeing this highly anticipated clash come to fruition.
Even if the bout — or two fights, for that matter — between Joshua and Wilder are booked for next year, Wilder will have to handle business Dec. 1 when he takes on Tyson Fury at Staples Center in Los Angeles.
Think we’ll have the Joshua-Wilder fight — or fights — made before then?
