By Daily Sports on June 13, 2018

Deontay Wilder, the WBC heavyweight champion, desperately wants to fight unified champion Anthony Joshua, so much so that he accepted a below-market offer to fight in the U.K.

But it is unlikely the fight will occur in 2018, as Joshua (21-0, 20 KOs) and promoter Eddie Hearn are in advanced talks with Alexander Povetkin for a bout between the two Olympic gold medalists in London in September.

Hearn said if that fight is finalised, Joshua could fight Wilder (40-0, 39 KOs) in 2018, but it would be highly unlikely as the weather in the U.K. would not be conducive to an outdoor bout at that time of the year. Fighting outdoors where a crowd near 100,000 can fill a stadium is the only way enough money could be generated to hold the fight in the U.K. and pay the fighters what they want.

Wilder has repeatedly said he wants the fight and would be willing to go to England to fight in order to get it done, as Joshua insisted after defeating Joseph Parker in a March 31 unification bout in Wales that drew 78,000. Wilder’s team had offered a $50 million guarantee to Joshua to fight in Las Vegas, but it was rejected.

So Wilder accepted the offer, which is not yet in writing, from Hearn with the hope of making the fight. That doesn’t mean an announcement is imminent.

“There is no deal,” Wilder said. “We accepted their lowball offer.”

Hearn told Yahoo Sports that Wilder’s side requested a written contract, and that he’s in the process of having one drawn up and sent to them for review.

Wilder said he is cautiously optimistic, but he hasn’t made travel plans at this point.

“I’m not giving up my hopes just yet, but I think they’ll try to squeeze their way out of it,” Wilder said.

Hearn noted that Joshua wants to fight in September, which is also when Canelo Alvarez plans to fight on pay-per-view on Sept. 15, whether against Gennady Golovkin, Daniel Jacobs or even Spike O’Sullivan. (yahoo.com)

•Photo shows Joshua and Wilder 

Source Daily Sports

Posted June 13, 2018

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