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Home » Eddie Hearn planning face-to-face Joshua v Wilder talks in New York

Eddie Hearn planning face-to-face Joshua v Wilder talks in New York

The Matchroom boss confirmed he made an offer to Wilder last week for an undisputed heavyweight unification but says conversations could be more fruitful face-to-face.

“We made an offer last week. We haven’t heard from them yet,” Hearn told Sky Sports News. “There’s been a bit of talking behind the scenes.

“We are in New York next week for the Danny Jacobs fight and Katie Taylor unification live on Sky Sports.

“I’m going to look to meet up with them in New York, get face to face with them, look into the whites of their eyes, and just see if we can make a deal.

“We’ve made an offer that we feel is substantial, if not we’re happy to talk about the numbers and look at their ideas as well,” he added.

The deal on the table, reported to be a straight purse offer with no split, has been received with a luke-warm reception by not only members of Wilder’s team but the fans, who see ‘The Bronze Bomber’ as more deserved of a contract similar to that of Joseph Parker.

Unless something can be worked out, Joshua is likely to be pitted against Alexander Povetkin this summer – with the Wilder deal on the backburner for what could amount to a year.

Povetkin has to be given his chance by September, whilst a mandatory IBF contest between Dillian Whyte and Kubrat Pulev has also been ordered.

Should that be completed before September, it’s possible the IBF could seek the conclusion of their number one status by the end of 2018.

That means Wilder would be out of contention until April, 2019 – at the earliest.