Deontay Wilder 40-0 (39) is just one of three options for unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua 21-0 (20) according to Matchroom Sport chairman Barry Hearn.
The American WBC heavyweight champion has been in overdrive for the past week, spruiking the proposed $USD50 million offer he made to the English champion to come to the United States for a unification bout before the end of the year.
But Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn has been frustrated by Team Wilder’s refusal to provide a draft contract or meet to discuss the proposal in more detail. The younger Hearn has indicated he will look at making a counterproposal later this week, but the senior Hearn says that there is no certainty that Wilder will be the next opponent for the WBA, IBF and WBO heavyweight champion.
“Anthony Joshua calls the shots,” Barry Hearn said to Yahoo! Sport. “He has a choice. I think his preference is Alexander Povetkin for his mandatory, Jarrell Miller is in the top five, and Deontay Wilder.
“They’re his three main choices and I expect him to make his mind up in the next seven to 10 days. He’s a smart young man and the final decision is always made by him.”
Hearn senior agreed with his son’s position on the offer from Wilder, which unusually came directly from the boxer himself in an email rather than his management team.
“It’s very strange, because we’ve never had an offer from Wilder’s management, but we’ve had an offer from Wilder,” Hearn said.
“He said he’d give us $50m, but I don’t think he’s got $50m. There was no contract.”
Hearn junior was ringside for Miller’s victory over Johann Duhaupas at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York on Saturday night in a WBA heavyweight eliminator. The 29-year-old Brooklynite won a comfortable decision over 12 rounds by scores of 119-109, 117-111 and 119-109 despite weighing in at a career-high 304-pounds.
 is just one of three options for unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua 21-0 (20) according to Matchroom Sport chairman Barry Hearn.){kind=link}