Despite Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn stating the American is highly unlikely to be given an equal share of a unification pot, Wilder now says that could be a deal breaker in negotiations.
“We’re not (going to) chase anybody. I’m not chasing Joshua. If he doesn’t want the fight, then that’s fine,” Wilder told ESPN.
“It is a great fight, it is one of the biggest fights in the world and everyone wants it.
“(But) it will be 50-50 or else we don’t see a fight.
“If they want to use splits not to make a fight happen, then so be it. It is not like I’m asking for more, I’m saying this is a 50-50 fight and that’s how it is.
“In the rematch, we can talk about 60-40 splits of whatever – that is more acceptable,” he added.
Talks between Hearn and Wilder’s advisors Shelly Finkel and Al Haymon have already taken place and were said at the time to have been positive when staged last month.
Wilder’s latest admission won’t fill the fans with hope though as boxing keeps its fingers crossed for one of the biggest top division battles in recent years.
The general consensus is that the fight must happen in 2018, although unless common ground or a compromise can be found, the encounter everybody wants could be in danger of never seeing the light of day.
Both men seem to have accepted that the summer is the time to get it on, with Joshua aiming for home advantage at Wembley Stadium and for what looks to be a bigger slice of the pie.
