BoxRec

I wish this saga would end.

I can’t help thinking that Shelly Finkel and Eddie Hearn have orchestrated some sort of fictional “controversy” in order to drum up publicity. There is so much theatrical shenanigans going on that it almost feels like it’s been scripted!

I bet both sides were really anticipating a 2019 showdown, since the bigger the furore from both the media and fight fans, the better the financial returns will be.

If Wilder and Joshua can both improve the size of their paydays by $10m or more, simply by waiting a year in order to allow interest in the event to “marinate”, then both will be delighted about the delay, even if they pretend otherwise.

I wouldn't be at all surprised EO. For one of these guys, yet to be determined, the other represents a ferkin great iceberg ahead in their career path. Why not enjoy the relatively calm seas and gentle tailwind for another 6 months or 12.

As a fan it's not what I want at all, but if they were thinking like that could you really blame them - especially when, as you rightly say, the intervening period can be engineered to generate massively more interest, anticipation and revenue?

Enlightened-One wrote: ↑26 Jun 2018, 07:16 "Joshua ordered by WBA to fight Povetkin and ditch Wilder"

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.

Thoughts?

The back and forth between both camps was a big wast of time epically after Andery Ryabinsky states my guy will fight AJ next and I guarantee it. I believe Hearn already struck a deal with Povetkin team right after the Parker fight or befor.

Enlightened-One wrote: ↑25 Jun 2018, 05:17 "Eddie Hearn replies to Deontay Wilder video interview, questions desire to fight Anthony Joshua"

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.

Thoughts?

This is crazy because I read in a different interview/post that the WBA said Eddie Hearn did not ask for an an extension for a unification bout with Wilder, now the WBA said they gave Hearn an extension..wow I don't know what to believe any more.

SWJohnny wrote: ↑08 Jul 2018, 13:01

Enlightened-One wrote: ↑25 Jun 2018, 05:17 "Eddie Hearn replies to Deontay Wilder video interview, questions desire to fight Anthony Joshua"

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.

Thoughts?

This is crazy because I read in a different interview/post that the WBA said Eddie Hearn did not ask for an an extension for a unification bout with Wilder, now the WBA said they gave Hearn an extension..wow I don't know what to believe any more.

What's complicated?

Eddie Hearn told the WBA that he was negotiating the Wilder fight, they didn't announce a deadline for AJ's mandatory until it became obvious that The Bronze Bomber's representatives were procrastinating.

Eddie Hearn never said that he asked the WBA for an extension, because they didn't previously announce a deadline to negotiate the Povetkin bout.

You can't ask for an extension for a date that is unknown.

"Anthony Joshua will sign a contract for a potential fight with Deontay Wilder in April"

Anthony Joshua will sign a contract for a potential fight with Deontay Wilder at Wembley on April 13, says his promoter Eddie Hearn.

"I'm pretty confident," Hearn told Sky Sports News. "I think at the moment he's [Wilder] throwing his toys out of the pram, and eventually we hope he'll come to his senses.

"I spoke to Anthony yesterday and I think what we're going to do is all the terms that were agreed by Deontay Wilder have now been put into the contract. They've had them now for over a month, and they haven't done anything, so I think what we're going to do, we're going to sign the contract.

"Anthony Joshua says let's sign the contract and put it in front of them, rather than them thinking that we're bluffing for some bizarre reason, or we don't want the fight.

"Anthony's going to have a press conference for his next fight next week and he'll be in America as well, and it will be good to go out there and say we've done all we can.

"You've agreed these terms, we've now even signed the contract, so fingers crossed, April 13 at Wembley will be Joshua against Wilder."

dickbelden wrote: ↑11 Jul 2018, 10:09

Richard Schaefer has zero influence in this situation. He's not involved with Wilder nor Joshua.

Deontay Wilder is Croatia.

"Hearn: If Wilder doesn’t sign for Joshua fight, then Whyte is April opponent"

“If Wilder does not sign to fight Joshua and Whyte wins (against former WBO heavyweight champion Joseph Parker), that’s the Wembley fight. But I have to stress, 100% focus is the Wilder fight after Povetkin,” Hearn said to Sky Sports Boxing at Toe 2 Toe.

Enlightened-One wrote: ↑12 Jul 2018, 12:21 "Hearn: If Wilder doesn’t sign for Joshua fight, then Whyte is April opponent"

“If Wilder does not sign to fight Joshua and Whyte wins (against former WBO heavyweight champion Joseph Parker), that’s the Wembley fight. But I have to stress, 100% focus is the Wilder fight after Povetkin,” Hearn said to Sky Sports Boxing at Toe 2 Toe.

Unless the scorecards are predetermined there's no way Whyte beats Parker

lol dicks on his #bombsquad grind

tiny_acres wrote: ↑12 Jul 2018, 12:56

Enlightened-One wrote: ↑12 Jul 2018, 12:21 "Hearn: If Wilder doesn’t sign for Joshua fight, then Whyte is April opponent"

“If Wilder does not sign to fight Joshua and Whyte wins (against former WBO heavyweight champion Joseph Parker), that’s the Wembley fight. But I have to stress, 100% focus is the Wilder fight after Povetkin,” Hearn said to Sky Sports Boxing at Toe 2 Toe.

Unless the scorecards are predetermined there's no way Whyte beats Parker

I'm picking Parker to win but he's no more than 60/40 at best. To say Whyte can only win if he was to benefit from corrupt judging is rubbish, and disrespectful to one of the most active and least "choosy" as to his opponents of any of the top heavyweights. If you haven't noticed Whyte is a victim of corruption not one who benefits from it.

astradamus wrote: ↑15 Jul 2018, 09:23

Tony1244 wrote: ↑02 Jul 2018, 10:03 Hearn is right. Wilder should be happy with 40%.

Make that very very very very happy, even if it's 10% it's already easely a record payday for him.

I could sympathize if they were giving him only 10%, but he's ducking Joshua at 40%. Wilder has no confidence in winning.

Hallelujah Bro. I was blind but now I can see.

ya, that sure would make luis look good wouldnt it