With paperwork exchanged, there are now just two sticking points standing between the two world heavyweight champions and a fight for all the divisional marbles.
World Boxing News were informed by Shelly Finkel on Thursday evening that they just needed contract clarification for a Joshua v Wilder unification in the UK to be signed off.
Finkel confirmed the paperwork Matchroom Boxing’s Barry Hearn was received three days later than planned on Monday, and by Tuesday had sent TWO POINTS to be reaffirmed by Joshua’s handlers before making the fight official.
Giving an update on Thursday, Finkel explained a roadblock had been hit as a result of a failure to respond on the part of Hearn.
“We looked at the contract on Monday and raised two specific details in the paperwork that we needed clarification of,” Finkel exclusively told World Boxing News.
“It’s frustrating as Eddie Hearn is stating in the media that we need to be quick and sign the contract, but how can we sign if they don’t respond to our email and clarify our concerns?
“If we are being rushed we really need to hear back from Barry in order to be able to complete things on our side,” he added.
Whilst an official deal with Wilder is closer than ever, there’s also an already arranged mandatory fight with Alexander Povetkin for Joshua hanging in the balance for September.
Promoter Eddie Hearn stated Team Wilder needed to be quick to stave off the chances of Joshua facing Povetkin instead, with this further delay not helping matters.
‘AJ’ was ordered by the WBA and WBO to battle Povetkin unless a deal could be reached with his arch-nemesis from across the Atlantic, but unless these Wilder queries are answered, Finkel is unable to have pens put to paper.
Initially turning down 50 million dollars in favor of taking on Wilder in the UK, Joshua has come good on his eventual promise to put a package together for an encounter against his most dangerous challenger.
All that’s missing is a signature from both fighters, which can only happen once their advances are given the relevant attention by Joshua and his team.
WBN is expecting further news over the weekend, although doesn’t see a Joshua v Wilder deal being able to be completed this week due to time constraints.
Povetkin, on the other hand, could be announced at any point should Hearn and Joshua decide to walk away from the Wilder clash until 2019.
Phil Jay is Editor of World Boxing News. Follow on Twitter @PhilDJay