By Scott Gilfoid: WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder WON’T be fighting a unification match against IBF/WBA/WBO champion Anthony Joshua in 2019. Wilder’s co-manager Shelly Finkel says Joshua won’t be next for the unbeaten Wilder (40-0-1, 39 KOs) after he defends his title against mandatory Dominic Breazeale (20-1, 18 KO) on May 18 Showtime World Championship Boxing at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
Without elaborating on any specific names, Finkel told Thaboxingvoice that Wilder has a “full plate” of fights for the remainder of 2019. Finkel was then asked if #3 WBC Luis ‘King Kong’ Ortiz (31-1, 26 KOs) and unbeaten #5 WBC Adam Kownacki (19-0, 15 KOs) are two of the names that are in the running for Wilder’s fights for the rest of the year, Finkel revealed that fights are being planned but not a done deal.
Finkel says they’ll look to possibly put together a fight with Joshua in 2020. Finkel didn’t say what need to happen for Joshua to get the fight with Wilder, but it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn is going to need agree to give Deontay the 50-50 split that he’s asking for. It’s an easy fight to be made if Hearn says the words Wilder and his management want to hear. Thus far, he’s been resistant to giving Wilder the deal that he wants, which is why Joshua will likely be fighting Andy Ruiz Jr. on June 1st instead of Deontay. The Wilder-Joshua fight can be made if Hearn gives Wilder what he wants.
For the boxing fans are that are saying that Wilder is ducking Joshua, they have to understand that the Bronze Bomber has a lot of interesting fights still in front of him right now. The more wins that Wilder gets under his belt, the great his popularity will be not just in the United States, but WORLDWIDE. That’s a positive for Wilder, because right now, Joshua and his promoter Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Boxing have no desire to give Wilder a 50-50 split. At best, they’re offering him 40% of the financial pie. The only way Wilder can increase his share of the money is by beating more top level heavyweights. Breazeale, 33, is a good start. If Wilder can take his scalp, and then build on that win with victories over Ortiz, 40, and Kownacki, he could be popular enough for him to ask and be given a 50-50 deal for the Joshua fight. If not, then Wilder will keep plugging away until he’s earned the 50% that he’s looking to get. It’s likely that Wilder will need to defeat Tyson Fury in a rematch for him to get the 50-50 deal that he wants for the Joshua.
“Until recently they [Joshua and Hearn] didn’t want the fight. We have a pretty full plate this year and will discuss fighting Joshua next year. [John Skipper] and I are developing a very good relationship. [Negotiations] will continue and eventually lead to a fight,” Finkel said.
There no reason to get upset about the Wilder vs. Joshua fight. It’s going to happen. It’s just a matter of getting the terms right so that BOTH fighters are happy instead of just one. Joshua’s promoter Hearn has dragging his feet by giving flat fee offers to Wilder, and that stance has been unproductive to making the fight happen.
Hearn hasn’t been shy about spouting his opinion that Fury beat Wilder despite the fact that he kissed the canvas twice in the championship rounds. Hearn believes that it wasn’t a big deal that Fury was knocked down twice by Wilder. Hearn thinks that Fury put in a good enough performance to get the win. Whether Hearn would think the same thing if Fury had been knocked down twice by Joshua is the big question. As the challenger, you’re not going to beat the champion if you’re getting dropped twice. It just doesn’t happen, and it never has.
Wilder vs. Kownacki is a fine fight. The U.S boxing fans will love that fight. A rematch between Wilder and Luis Ortiz will likely be bigger than the first fight. There will be HUGE interest from American boxing fans in seeing ‘King Kong’ Ortiz take on Deontay for a second time. It’s too bad Hearn didn’t offer Ortiz the money that he was looking for to face Joshua on June 1st, because that would have been an excellent opponent for him to fight. You understate how important Ortiz would have been for Joshua’s debut in the U.S on June 1. Oh well, that’s now it goes. Hearn should have worked the phone and did everything he can to get the Joshua vs. Ortiz fight done. Persistence is what it takes to be a good promoter.
If you give up easy, which you can argue is what Hearn did, you get stuck with the likes of Andy Ruiz Jr. and/or Michael Hunter as the opponent for Joshua. Wilder is going to get a lot of attention with his rematch against Ortiz, as well as his fight against unbeaten Kownacki. Hearn needs to approach match-making in a dogged manner to get the top level fighters that the fans want to see. If you give up easy, then you end up with second rate opposition. That’s just how it goes.
It’s up to Hearn and Joshua if they want to fight Wilder in 2020. If they do, then they’re probably need to give him the loot that he’s asking for in terms of the 50-50 split. Gilfoid hates to drizzle on Joshua and Hearn’s parade, but if they want the Deontay Wilder mega fight, they’re going to need to come up with the money offer that he’s looking for. Wilder has explained what he wants repeatedly that he wants a 50-50 deal. If Hearn and Joshua are going to be stubborn about it and insist on taking the lion’s share of the loot, then they just need to go their way and let Wilder goes his way. At this point, it’s academic. Wilder wants parity, and until he gets it, there won’t be a Joshua fight. Maybe by 2020, Hearn and Joshua will see the light and want to give Wilder the deal he’s looking for. If not next year, then maybe in 2021. We’ll have to see.
