PARKER Will Accept 35% to FIGHT JOSHUA

A fair and reasonable figure is now being floated and crunch time for Hearn and Joshua is imminent.

 

It is. But if you bring a world title belt to the table your price goes up.

 

Wilder holds a world title belt. The WBC world title belt, and over boxing history the WBC heavyweight belt is probably the most respected of the belts.

Joshua says he wants to unify all of the belts by the end of 2018. In order to unify he needs to win the WBC belt. The one Wilder holds.

 

It could equally be argued Wilder and Parker represent the most dangerous fights out there for Joshua.

Hearn and Joshua are on a good thing packing stadiums fighting lesser opponents. Why step up the risk when the reward is already there?

 

How many times do you think Joshua will fight in 2018? He only fought twice in 2017.

 

Plus , its not just the risk of losing , its the risk of losing to Wilder. Getting stopped by Wilder , who all the casuals believe is a useless bum , would have a catastrophic effect on his career and reputation. It could ruin him as a fighter. They are making history for British boxing at the moment. Why risk that. I don't see the fight happening at all next year.

 

Fury if he gets back in shape.

Haye if he beats Bellew, though that would just be a money fight, nobody really rates Haye anymore as he's too injury prone and past his best days.

Usyk would be one for the hardcore fans. I think he's a genuine threat if he has a decent chin at heavyweight.

Then the next wave of guys could prove to be potential big fights. Joyce and Dubois could be big fights in the UK if they keep winning.

 

Same win Joshua.

 

Probably twice as well against Parker and presumably Wilder.

 

He probably will only fight twice again in 2018 and that is why Hearn should be concentrating on getting the unification fights made.

 

I agree.

 

Hearn has been saying he will fight 3 times next year. Parker and Wilder will be 2 of those fights, the 3rd probably an opponent to build Joshua's profile in the US before the Wilder fight.

I suspect we'll see Joshua/Parker in the spring, then Joshua/Miller in the summer and finally for the undisputed title Joshua/Wilder. The last one is the only fight I have serious doubts will happen. Wilder is pricing himself out at the moment and I think Haymon might block the fight from ever happening.

 

Agree with most of that. But there is reluctance for Joshua-Wilder from the Joshua camp too. Hearn knows Wilder is unpredictable and powerful and they aren't rushing into that one.