Although it seems like boxing fans will get their wish in getting a unification bout between Anthony Joshua vs. Deontay Wilder, there could still be some trouble in paradise in regards to the fight being made.
Sky Sports caught up with Joshua's promoter Eddie Hearn to talk about the latest on the negotiations between the two heavyweight champions. Hearn has sent a contract to Wilder after Wilder agreed to terms to the fight, but Hearn still has a backup option in case plans go awry. The backup plan would be for Joshua, who holds the WBA, WBO and IBF heavyweight titles, to fight mandatory challenger Alexander Povetkin.
"If Wilder says 'we're good to go,' that's almost certainly going to be the next fight. If people are going to mess around, if it's going to drag on, they [Joshua and McCracken] would rather go end of September with Povetkin," Hearn said.
In what can be perceived as a hint for a possible date for the fight, Hearn also said that a September date for the fight is unlikely as the rematch between Canelo Alvarez and Gennady Golovkin takes place on September 15. Hearn added that he would not want Joshua to fight Wilder with a training camp only lasting eight weeks.
"I'm not letting Anthony Joshua fight this fight with an eight-week camp, because this is everything, this fight," Hearn said.
Hearn said it is possible for Joshua vs. Wilder to take place either in October or November, but that would essentially rule out the possibility of staging the fight at Wembley Stadium in London where Joshua's 2017 Fight of the Year against Wladimir Klitschko took place and broke the British boxing attendance record with about 90,000 people attending the fight.
