Promoter of world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua, Eddie Hearn, has his suspicions around why WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder chose to accept the Joshua fight in the UK via his social media channels.
It’s the middle of the week and the final contract offer to Deontay Wilder is either in the process of being sent today or last touches are being put on it before sending to him.
Eddie Hearn said he sent the offer originally over four weeks ago to Wilder and although Wilder came out this week and said he accepts it, Hearn is not particularly convinced just yet that he will.
According to Chris McKenna of the Daily Star, Hearn said:
“They’ve obviously heard that we are likely to fight Alexander Povetkin in September so I don’t know whether this was panic or bluster. Obviously we have lost a lot of time and a September for fight with Wilder in terms of venue, US TV and for pure promotional build, is impossible really. If it is Wilder next, it has to probably be October or November. We are running out of time.”
While the Povetkin fight may have been close to be signed there’s no doubting that a Wilder fight next up substantially trumps that in terms of interest for everyone involved.
On there not been enough time to promote, I’m not sure about that.
Look at the recent Floyd Mayweather vs Conor McGregor fight back in September for example.
That was literally announced a little over two months out from fight night and it still set the (global not US) all time pay per view record for PPV’s sold worldwide.
The interest is there from everyone – make the fight.