Wilder’s Manager Feels Optimistic Joshua Fight Will Happen
Deontay Wilder’s co-manager, Shelly Finkel, feels “optimistic” that the teams for Wilder and Anthony Joshua can strike a deal for heavyweight unification.
“I met with Eddie’s father, Barry [Hearn, head of Matchroom], this past Friday in New York and it was a good meeting,” Finkel said. “I’m hopeful that they will get back to me this week and that something can be done to make the fight in the fall. I’m optimistic.
The current piece of contention has been location, as Wilder wanted the fight in the United States, and Joshua pushing for a stadium fight in the United Kingdom. And while Wilder has demanded the fight be in the U.S, Finkel claims his client is coming around.
“If [fighting in the United Kingdom] is a condition for us to get the fight, that will not be an impediment on our side, Finkel told ESPN.
“There are still some roads to cross but hopefully it will happen and we’ll see the fight this year. If we’re going to make the fight, the place where it will take place isn’t going to be the problem. We have no problem going to the U.K. It never was a problem. Deontay has never had a problem with that.”
Barry Hearn, who’s son Eddie leads Matchroom Boxing, claim that Wilder’s team need to make a decision in the next few days.
“They’ve got to make a decision realistically in the next few days,” he said. “I think both of them want to fight each other, but there’s obviously hurdles to come over. Is Wembley [Stadium] available? What’s the American pay-per-view situation for American broadcasters on a show in the U.K.? Is it the right time to fight Deontay Wilder? Fight’s only going to get bigger. Fight fans will tell you, ‘We must see it now!’ Of course, they’re not involved in the financials.
“The last word on this is Anthony Joshua’s. Our job is to say, ‘Here is the menu, you pick the main course,’ because Anthony Joshua calls the shots. He’s the financial king in heavyweight boxing and in the world of boxing. There’s no one running close. He makes the call.”
Original Post: ESPN