EDDIE HEARN insists he has a plan in place for Anthony Joshua to face the winner of Tyson Fury vs Deontay Wilder III in December.
Subject to AJ beating mandatory challenger Kubrat Pulev on June 20, the 30-year-old WBA, IBF and WBO champ wants to land the WBC strap that is set to be contested again on July 18.
Eddie Hearn is eyeing a mouthwatering clash between Anthony Joshua and the winner of Tyson Fury’s and Deontay Wilder’s third fightCredit: AFP or licensors
American Wilder has exercised his contractual right to an immediate rematch, keeping Joshua away from the one belt missing from his collection for another ten months at least.
But Matchroom boss Hearn claims he has spoken to the Gypsy King’s US promoter Bob Arum and the huge decider is just around the corner.
Hearn said: “I spoke to Bob Arum on Tuesday and we’ve been talking about how the deal would work.
“We’ve also said we’re willing to do the deal and sign the deal now for December, obviously subject to AJ winning and Fury winning.
Hearn (pictured) has touted Wales, Saudi Arabia and Las Vegas as possible locations for a December bout between Joshua and Fury or WilderCredit: PA:Press Association
“We would also do the same for Wilder, not if he lost, but if he wins the rematch because there’s nothing else beyond that rematch.
“We would be happy to do a deal with either guy to say we would be happy to do that fight in December.
“We’re a little bit cautious because of the Andy Ruiz memories and all the talk of Wilder and undisputed, we’ve just got to get Pulev beat and Fury has got to beat Wilder.”
Saudi Arabia, which hosted Joshua’s December rematch win over Andy Ruiz Jr, want that potential clash but Cardiff’s roofed stadium and Las Vegas are also in the running.
“We would be happy to do a deal with either guy to say we would be happy to do that fight in December.”
Eddie Hearn
The deal will come down to pounds, cents or petrodollars once the soon-to-be-decided WBC king and AJ know how much cash is on the table for a two-fight deal.
Hearn said: “The fighters will say ‘go and tell me what’s out there’ and there are only three options really. Wales because it’s December, Vegas or Saudi.
“For me, any deal we do is likely to be a two-fight deal so wherever it is the first time, it won’t be there the second time.
Anthony Joshua aims to add the WBC belt to his impressive array of world heavyweight titlesCredit: PA:Press Association
“Whether that’s one fight abroad and then back to Britain in the summer. But the fighters will want to see all the deals out there.
“In an ideal world they would both want to do it in the UK, but we would have to come up with something special in the UK to even get to half the numbers of another territory because there’s no government help. It’s just ticket prices and pay-per-view, that’s it.
“It’s very difficult when you’re up against government money, wherever that might be, where they are willing to pay huge site fees to bring the fight there.
“We would love to do the fight in England, but we would have to come up with something creative to make that viable.
“Vegas can pay more than England, but two Brits in Vegas, wouldn’t feel right.
“To take it outside of the UK, it’s going to have to be a deal you can’t turn down and I don’t think the difference between the UK and American money would be enough to make them not do it in England.”
Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
