Anthony Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, says he hopes Deontay Wilder loses his fight this Saturday night against Joseph Parker in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Hearn’s confession confirms what Wilder’s trainer, Malik Scott, and many boxing fans believe to be true that he’s protecting AJ from Deontay, and he doesn’t want to make that fight for fear that his golden goose in his Matchroom stable would be fricasseed & cooked up.
One right hand from Wilder to Joshua’s chin could undo ten years of careful maneuvering by the wily Hearn, who has created Joshua, like Dr. Frankenstein, feeding him stiff by stiff since 2013.
If Wilder (43-2-2, 42 KOs) gets beat, AJ will miss out on a massive payday for a fight against him on March 9th in Saudi Arabia.
Joshua (26-3, 23 KOs) could lose out on what some believe is a $50 million payday against Wilder if Parker wins on Saturday. AJ would be out of that sweet cash, but at least Hearn would still have his creation walking upright for a bit longer.
That kind of money won’t be available for Joshua to fight Parker, as there would be no fan interest in that fight in the U.S. and worldwide. Parker is just a basic timid sort, a ham & egger who has already been beaten by Joshua, Dillian Whyte, and Joe Joyce.
“I want him to fight Deontay Wilder because I believe he beats him, and I believe that’s the right fight for AJ financially, and financially the right fight for me,” said Eddie Hearn to Fighthype in denying trainer Malik Scott’s claims that he doesn’t want to make the fight between Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder.
“He [Wilder] better be switched on because he’ll lose to Joseph Parker on December 23rd. He can punch like a mule, but Joseph is up for this fight, and I know he’s had his defeats and stuff like that.
“Coming out from a year, it ain’t going to be easy [for Deontay], and he better win because when he wins and if we [Joshua against Otto Wallin], which I believe we will, we’re going to fight. Yes, and AJ is going to knock him out,” said Hearn when asked if Joshua will fight Wilder next if they both win on Saturday.
“Deontay, great fighter. Make sure you win. I like Joseph Parker. Secretly, I hope he wins, but I don’t really because then we lost the [Joshua vs. Wilder] fight, but whatever. Make sure you win, we’ll win, and you’ll get your wish, and you’ll get beat,” said Hearn.
