By Jake Tiernan: Promoter Frank Warren doubts the Anthony Joshua vs. Deontay Wilder fight will take place for them to get the money they thought they would get.
It’s obviously not a good sign that the Joshua-Wilder fight hasn’t been negotiated yet by the Saudis.
Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn openly gave a three-weak timeframe/deadline for when he needs the Wilder negotiations to be completed before he moves on and has AJ fight in November or December against another opponent.
Hearn says the Joshua vs. Wilder fight could be moved to February or March, which won’t make boxing fans happy because they think it will take place in January.
If the money isn’t there to stage the Joshua-Wilder fight in Saudi Arabia in January, Hearn will need to devise a good alternative fight for Joshua to take in November or December.
Hearn obviously won’t want to put Joshua in against anyone that could potentially beat him before he gets his mega-money fights against Wilder & Tyson Fury. These would be good options for Joshua to fight in November or December:
- Filip Hrgovic
- Zhilei Zhang
- Martin Bakole
- Arslanbek Makhmudov
- Frank Sanchez
- Andy Ruiz Jr.
- Joe Joyce
- Otto Wallin
“I don’t know, and I’ve got to be honest. I don’t particularly care,” said Frank Warren to iFL TV about whether Anthony Joshua fights Deontay Wilder next.
“It doesn’t bother me that much. You asked me last time we spoke what I thought about the [Joshua vs. Wilder] fight, and I gave you my views. If they make it, they make it. I don’t think they will make it.
“I don’t think they make it and get the money they think they’re going to get; I really don’t. They were talking about making another fight for AJ in between, and I think they’re going to have a problem with that because I think the public will be expecting more.
“That fight wasn’t going to happen in December, and we all know that. If you go check all the interviews that when you asked me about this, I’ve not changed. What I’ve said is what will happen. I said he [Joshua] won’t fight in December.
“He won’t be fighting Deontay in December, and I’m right, and he’s not fighting Deontay in December. So he may as well have taken that fight at that time.
“Nothing was done with [Francis] Ngannou, and nothing was that time was done with Dillian Whyte because Dillian Whyte was screaming for him to fight him. There was nothing signed,” said Warren.
