EDDIE HEARN insisted Deontay Wilder would accept becoming the WBC ‘Franchise’ champion, if it meant avoiding Anthony Joshua and Dillian Whyte.
The governing body recently introduced the Franchise championship status for Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez and Vasiliy Lomachenko.
Eddie Hearn insisted Deontay Wilder would take the WBC ‘Franchise’ title, if it meant avoiding Anthony Joshua and Dillian WhyteCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Both fighters were upgraded, and their usual WBC world champion belt was given to Jarmell Charlo at middleweight and Devin Haney at lightweight.
But heavyweight Wilder recently stated he will not accept the Franchise title, wanting to stick to his traditional world title crown.
However, promoter Hearn told Sky Sports The Bronze Bomber would take the new status “in a heartbeat” if it meant dodging fights with Brit pair AJ, 30, and Whyte, 31.
He said: “You can’t take anything Wilder says seriously.
“First of all he says ‘one face, one name, one champion’, and then we chase the undisputed fight for over a year, and he don’t want to know, and Joshua loses and it’s ‘one face, one name, one champion’ again.
“Now he says he’ll turn down a Franchise belt.
“If he gets the opportunity to duck Dillian Whyte or Anthony Joshua, or anybody by being elevated to Franchise champion, he would do it in a heartbeat.
“Don’t take what Deontay Wilder says too seriously.”
Owning the Franchise title means any WBC champion does not have to fulfil mandatory title defences, but the belt cannot be unified against other champions.
For this reason, Wilder, 34, is not interested in the controversial crown.
He said: “Many people ask me about the franchise belt. I don’t know much about it.
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“What I’m hearing, it allows you to stay a champion, you don’t have to fight mandatories and stuff like that. If that’s the case, I’m not interested.
“I want the mandatories. Guys work their way up, work hard to get to number two, and then become a mandatory.
“Why would you crown someone that doesn’t have to have mandatories?”
The WBC introduced the Franchise championship status for Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez and Vasiliy LomachenkoCredit: Reuters
Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
