Deontay Wilder: After I knock out Fury, I'm the A Side against Joshua!

I think he’s practicing this stuff. I mean, no one be such a **** by accident.

If that’s the case, fair play, he’s doing a good job at getting attention and attention = money these days.

 

Even a successful Fury fight doesn't change the dynamics of that negotiation as much as you suggest. He can ask for whatever he likes whether he fights Fury or not. In a negotiation the key factor is what each fighters alternative options are. Unless Wilder somehow engages the US market in such a way that they become massively invested in him, in a way they've singularly failed to do so in the past, then his options other than Joshua aren't great. AJ on the other hand has those options. He earns $50m+ next year without Wilder. Without AJ Deontay would be lucky to break 10 and he's a fair bit older as well.

 

The only knowledgeable post in this thread.

 

the world is becoming one culture, american culture. from motorcycle gangs to cheerleaders in high school, we are changing how the world lives their lives. we are the cool kids on the playground, we decide who else is cool also.
sounds like bragging but its a simple way of saying the truth.

 

I was thinking something along the lines of Wilder vs Stiverne III "Showdown at the Golden Corral."

 

I mostly like you as a poster, you have your favorites as we all do, but you don't seem to be a died in the wool partisan or unreasonable. I think you are underselling the situation though, for a few reasons.

A. If Fury Wilder performs at the high end of US PPV, say 400,000 buys, that is not too far off from the gross revenue of an average AJ fight. And it does the important service of introducing Wilder to the PPV market. It makes it possible for a second superfight with Wilder, say with AJ, to gross much more than that. Even more than AJ makes in the UK. It suddenly makes a superfight between AJ and Wilder in the US a realistic possibility. That's all very speculative, but their is a higher ceiling in the US than in the UK as far as earnings. A high end return on Wilder Fury would give AJ Wilder a shot at coming closer to that ceiling. If AJ ever wants to be a billionaire as a boxer, he's got to break into the US market, and this is by far his best opportunity to do so.

B. AJ currently earns plenty, as you state. But he will face critical and more importantly, potentially fan backlash if there Wilder (or Fury, for that matter), win and stake their claim as legit co champions of the division, and AJ doesn't treat them as (near) equals. Rumor, which may or may not be true, is that aj sasha isn't selling as well as historically. AJ has Wembley lined up for next april. If Wilder fury fight, and aj faces someone other than the winner, I think there is a serious chance at very real damage to AJ's marketability and earnings.

C. If Wilder does well on US PPV, maybe options start expanding. Maybe a Usyk bout suddenly becomes a PPV worthy bout. Maybe fighting a general good contender is more lucrative than in the past.

Anyway, maybe even a 45/55 split for UK vs a 40/60 split for US is a reasonable ending place for Wilder v Aj purse. It would be silly of Wilder to legitimately think he would get more than 50%, yes (although not silly as a negotiating ploy). But it would be silly of AJ to think he could get more than 55% and stay in UK, if Wilder makes the US a legit option with a lucrative win over Fury and AJ starts feeling the heat from his fans.

And yes, there is a good chance that this is all for nothing. The fury wilder fight may not happen, in which case Wilder should settle for 35% in UK. Or the fight might disappoint on US PPV, in which case he'd still have the resume claim, which has a cash value as described in B, but would probably cap him out at 40% in UK realistically.

 

I find myself agreeing with you. However, this has little to do with the Wilder/Joshua A side/B side debate. Well, it does, but it doesn’t support Wilder’s claim. Unless he can pull in fantastic figures, and grow his profile exponentially that is.

This A side and B side thing, when you move away all the noise, and dust it down, is about one thing; commercial value. Wilder could have all the belts, but if Joshua has proven to be commercially/financially a lot more successful, then guess what, he’s the A side.

 

Until he can sell out venues like Joshua he`ll remain the B side.

 

I think he assumes the Fury fight will pull in fantastic figures and grow his profile quite a lot.
Either way I was just pointing out the US - UK consumerism debate is silly and not worth having. You're right, on top of it being silly and not worth having it's hardly got anything to do with the Wilder - Joshua a-side - b-side debate.

 

Likewise and I nearly didn't post in this cause everyone has been around the houses on this one and what more is to say? But anyway...

A, B, Agreed. It's wrong to suggest all the power lies on one side. Wilder would have something AJ wants, an entry into the US market. Although whilst it remains a want or a 'nice to have' rather than a 'need' it's not as strong a factor in the power play as it might be.

There's also a real danger of oversaturation of the UK market in my view. If the fight doesn't happen Hearn would be well advised to take AJ on the road and try and cultivate other markets. So yes, they can't blithely assume that 90k / 1m PPVs are here to stay opposition notwithstanding. But they will still have their pick of other contenders, be that Usyk, Whyte, Miller or someone else.

C, Yes, although the key word is maybe. If Wilder Fury does do well then there will still be a question of how much is owed to Fury's past rep, own considerable fight selling powers and the novelty value of an English white HW who adheres far closer to the sweet science principles than Wilder does? Then there's the not insignificant chance that the fight itself sucks. If Fury repeats his Dusseldorf performance Wilder may not make as many fans as hoped even if he eventually KO's him as I firmly believe he will.

I go back to my original point about the external pressures on each camp. You've identified some for AJ and I'll concede they're valid, but look at what Wilder's team need to consider...

Other options to earn big money?
How long will Wilder remain in his prime?
Which dangerous fighter will be knocking on the mandatory door next?

Ok the last one probably isn't a concern given the way the WBC is treating him. The key point remains however. When they tell Hearn that they want 45% of a UK fight he will, not unreasonably, ask them why AJ should take a pay cut to give Wilder a massive pay rise? I think winning the battle on a percentage rather than a flat fee and seeing that percentage approach 35% is probably a win for Team Wilder. But, who really is to say?

 

I watch Game of Thrones because it's set in a land where the people of the North are honest, brave and true natural warriors. The people of the South are duplicitous, treacherous, mendacious cowardly types that sleep with their sisters and betray each other and everyone else they come into contact with. Whilst the people of the far North are crazy lunatics who everyone agrees would be much better off kept behind a bloody great wall for everyone's safety. I thought it was reality tv till the dragons showed up.

 

We aren't going to see that fight for another couple years I bet.

 

Becoming lineal champ is boxing's equivalent of being ruler of the seven kingdoms.

Should Deontay defeat the King of the North, he will assume the Iron Throne.

 

House Bolton, ftw!