Heavyweight force Deontay Wilder will fight in the Middle East this year after agreeing to a deal with Saudi Arabian investors.
That’s according to Eddie Hearn, the promoter hoping to add his fighter, Anthony Joshua, into the mix.
Hearn is looking to secure a similar deal to Wilder for AJ so that the pair can trade blows by the end of the year.
Hearn explained where the negotiations stand. He added that Dillian Whyte is the current alternative if Joshua cannot get the same contract as Wilder.
“It’s Saudi dealing directly with Deontay Wilder and me,” Hearn told ProBox TV. “So, not me trying to do a deal with Deontay Wilder.
“I don’t know where they’re up to with that. But I would think they may have that deal done. They don’t have our deal done,” he added.
Huge Deontay Wilder deal
On Wilder’s agreement, Hearn said his recent trip to the region was to secure an astounding purse.
“He’s been out there, Wilder. They’ve been talking all the time – he’s never had a massive payday like ‘AJ’ has.
“They know what AJ made to fight Andy Ruiz and to fight [Oleksandr] Usyk in Saudi. So they know the levels that we need to talk about. If they want it to happen, I think it’ll happen.”
Hearn clarified what may happen if Joshua rejects the Saudi deal: “We’re in negotiations to fight in Saudi in December. Everything around that will lead us to the decision about July or probably the first week of August.
“Will he fight? Where will he fight? Who against? If we don’t get the Wilder fight done, we’ll try and close the Dillian Whyte fight for the beginning of August.”
“We may look at Dillian, or we may look at another opponent.”
Wilder vs Joshua
Hearn admitted that Wilder was a dangerous fight for the former two-time world heavyweight champion.
“The Wilder fight would be exciting,” said the Matchroom boss. “From our point of view, he knows how dangerous Deontay Wilder is.
“I think he’ll love it. That’s what he’s all about. He doesn’t want to fight Jermaine Franklin for the rest of his career.
“But that fight – you lose to Jermaine Franklin, your career’s over. He hadn’t won for two years before that fight.
“He needs to be more aggressive, which comes with confidence.”
On what chance a fading Joshua has of defeating Wilder after three bad performances, Hearn concluded: “You have to fight Wilder in a specific style.
“If he boxes Deontay Wilder, he boxes his head off. If he gets hit by Deontay Wilder – or vice versa – the fight’s over.
“Why make it a shootout? That’s the last thing you want to do against Deontay Wilder.
“If the old AJ comes in, you’re flipping a coin. He can box his earholes off. But he needs to chin him at the same time.
“I like his style to fight Deontay Wilder. I still want to see him more aggressive.”
