- Anthony Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn has touched down in New York
- Hearn said: ‘I am opening negotiations here for AJ to box Deontay Wilder in 2018’
- Wilder ruthlessly defeated Bermaine Stiverne in New York at the weekend
Talks for a super-fight between Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder, his rival American world heavyweight champion, will begin in New York on Thursday evening.
Promoter Eddie Hearn arrived in the Big Apple, saying: ‘I am opening negotiations here tonight (Thursday) for AJ to box Wilder in 2018.’
Public pressure for Joshua, holder of the WBA and IBF world tiles, to meet Wilder, the WBC champion, in a unification blockbuster has intensified since each of their recent KO victories.
Talks for a fight between Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder will begin on Thursday
Wilder inflicted a spectacular KO over over Bermaine Stiverne in New York at the weekend
After Joshua defeated Carlos Takam in Cardiff’s Principality Stadium, Wilder inflicted a more spectacular KO victory over Bermaine Stiverne in New York and then called out AJ to ‘stop running and ducking me.’
Hearn has been hoping to route Wilder through a London warm-up fight against Dillian Wyte in February but the American’s promoter, Lou DiBella, has dismissed that as ‘ridiculous.’
The timing of a Wembley Stadium showdown will remain an issue in the discussions, however.
Joshua defeated Carlos Takam in Cardiff’s Principality Stadium in October
Wilder has been linked to fighting Dillian Wyte but his promoter labelled it ‘ridiculous’
Hearn would like Joshua to also fight against New Zealand’s Joseph Parker
Hearn would still like to buy time for Joshua to add the WBO heavyweight belt to his collecton by fighting New Zealand’s Joseph Parker in the spring of next year, thus moving Wilder back to next summer.
Both Joshua and Parker are unbeaten, having knocked out every opponent who has faced them in their professional career.
Hearn is in New York in readiness for his first Matchroom promotion in the US, this Saturday’s light-heavyweight fight between his new charge, Daniel Jacobs, against Luis Arias.