Eddie Hearn has responded to Deontay Wilder's explosive interview this week as talks continue over a heavyweight super-fight with Anthony Joshua.
Despite WBN reporting Wilder's team stating their wishes to respond to contract assurances this week, Hearn has questioned the desire of Shelly Finkel and his team to make the fight happen.
Wilder gave a lengthy video interview expressing his views on negotiations over the weekend, leading to the Matchroom boss giving his retort.
"Let's just stick to facts. We made them an offer firstly, they didn't even reply," Hearn told Sky Sports.
"They made us an offer, we asked to see a contract, they refused to send one. We made them another offer, after nearly four weeks they accepted and asked for a contract and we sent them one. If they want the fight they will sign it.
"I can't quite make out whether people are lying to Deontay about the negotiations or he is just completely deluded.
"I saw an interview with him yesterday saying he is actually two people, Deontay Wilder and The Bronze Bomber so I'm siding with deluded. It's not complicated - we have set out the terms of the deal, we put it in a contract and sent it to him."
On a possible WBO and WBA mandatory fight with Alexander Povetkin for Josuha, Hearn added:
"He has now had the contract a week. We are getting calls from the WBA on a daily basis asking what's happening, there is absolutely zero urgency from Deontay and his team other than posting silly Instagram videos.
"The proof is in the resumes and at this stage, I believe Deontay and his team do not want this fight."
Hearn's comments seem to be a straight retaliation to Wilder's latest media blurb and are not a representation of where negotiations are currently at.
Finkel is due to give a final statement on the deal either today or tomorrow, which will ultimately tell whether or not Hearn's terms are agreeable for the UK encounter.
It's looking increasingly like it will be Joshua vs Povetkin and Wilder vs Brezeale this year with the unification pushed back to spring. (provided they both win, of course).
All this back and forth is becoming boring.
If the fight isn't happening yet they should just put it on the backburner and concentrate on their next opponents, rather than constantly mentioning eachother and playing the blame game.
keirw wrote: ↑25 Jun 2018, 05:56
It's looking increasingly like it will be Joshua vs Povetkin and Wilder vs Brezeale this year with the unification pushed back to spring. (provided they both win, of course).
All this back and forth is becoming boring.
If the fight isn't happening yet they should just put it on the backburner and concentrate on their next opponents, rather than constantly mentioning eachother and playing the blame game.
I thought they had already agreed to terms? What's all this BS?
Went off the grid when wilder announced he’d signed a contract thinking this was happening. Return to find no contract is signed and fight still not agreed. What’s the truth here? I’ve seen messing about many countless times before but not dudes making loads of noise posting videos saying they’ve signed the contracts and balls in your court etc. When we are no further along whatsoever and no contract is signed. Bored of this now.
LONDON (AP) - Anthony Joshua was given a 24-hour deadline on Tuesday to sign a deal to fight Alexander Povetkin or face being stripped of the WBA portion of his world heavyweight boxing titles.
Joshua's promoter, Eddie Hearn, indicated he was close to agreeing on a unification bout with WBC champion Deontay Wilder, but the American's team claim to be holding out for "clarifications."
The WBA has lost patience and want him to fight its mandatory challenger from Russia.
WBA president Gilberto Mendoza said in a statement: "The WBA have allowed over a month extension to negotiations with Povetkin and also ongoing discussions with Deontay Wilder.
"It appears the Wilder team have not returned the contract for the fight and therefore we are requesting a date for the Joshua versus Povetkin fight with immediate effect."
There seems no choice for Joshua (21-0, 20 KO), who holds three of the big four heavyweight titles and can't afford to relinquish one in his bid to become the first undisputed champion since Lennox Lewis in 2000. His WBA and IBF belts were joined by the WBO version he relieved from Joseph Parker in March.
A Joshua-Povetkin fight this year would push Wilder to next year.
The WBA originally gave the promoters of Joshua and Povetkin until May 5 to reach an agreement then extended it.
Povetkin (34-1, 24 KO) became the WBA mandatory challenger last December when he beat Christian Hammer of Romania by unanimous decision. He enhanced his record in March by knocking out David Price of England in the fifth round on the undercard of the Joshua-Parker fight in Cardiff.
Povetkin held the WBA "regular" title from 2011 to 2013, when he suffered his only loss in a unification fight with Wladimir Klitschko by unanimous decision.
A long awaited action by WBA. They was saying that from the beginning. I guess, Povetkin fight is going to be made soon. Wilder negotiations aren't so easy going, thus to lose WBA just by trying to make that deal will be not very smart. And Povetkin's team will definitaly grab the opportunity of the title bout.
DrDuke wrote: ↑26 Jun 2018, 07:41
A long awaited action by WBA. They was saying that from the beginning. I guess, Povetkin fight is going to be made soon. Wilder negotiations aren't so easy going, thus to lose WBA just by trying to make that deal will be not very smart. And Povetkin's team will definitaly grab the opportunity of the title bout.
Povetkin will probably be paid step-aside money, which I guess Team Wilder and Team Joshua will both have to agree to fund, even though it's AJ's mandatory.
DrDuke wrote: ↑26 Jun 2018, 07:41
A long awaited action by WBA. They was saying that from the beginning. I guess, Povetkin fight is going to be made soon. Wilder negotiations aren't so easy going, thus to lose WBA just by trying to make that deal will be not very smart. And Povetkin's team will definitaly grab the opportunity of the title bout.
Povetkin will probably be paid step-aside money, which I guess Team Wilder and Team Joshua will both have to agree to fund, even though it's AJ's mandatory.
Team Joshua probably needs to deal with WBA more, than with Team Povetkin. I guess, Povetkin is eager to achieve the title shot and Ryabinsky is likely to execute his interests.
lol how predictable, wilders side stalls, waits for ajs next fight to be announced or get some news, then he 'erupts' with ducking accusations. get ready for wilder-breazeale to be announced soon after
compare there records and time pro (4.5 years vs 10 years). aj aint a coward at all. maybe he could wait 2 more years then fight jason gavrin to be more like a certain someone, but instead it will prob be yet another good opponent next
