It’s looking like Deontay Wilder then…
Joseph Parker’s team simply are not prepared to accept the offer made to them for a unification fight with Anthony Joshua, making WBC champion Wilder the most likely next opponent for ‘AJ’.
With Tyson Fury facing a lengthy and gruelling path back to fight shape, Joshua fixed his gaze on the unification options of both Wilder and WBO champ Parker.
But Parker’s promoter David Higgins, of Duco Events, feels insulted by the offer made by Eddie Hearn and would sooner believe that the Matchroom boss had been hacked than come to terms with the paltry purse offer.
“I got this weird email from Eddie’s email address, but he must have been hacked,” Higgins told Sky Sports. “He made the most ridiculously low offer. It could have been the most insulting offer in boxing history.
“To expect 40 per cent is actually quite reasonable, because you have earned it, and it’s a unification.
“Of course I have mentioned it [to Joseph Parker] and he just laughed like I did.
“I’m not going to reply, because I don’t think it was Eddie Hearn. I reckon someone hacked his account, it was a scam. I reckon Eddie respects boxing and I reckon Anthony Joshua wouldn’t want to insult Joseph Parker.
“Joseph has worked his way from the ground up and earned the right. Joshua, I think, would understand and respect that, so it can’t possibly be AJ or Eddie that made the offer. It must be an email hack.”
Wilder would likely warrant a more generous slice of the pie than Parker as he has the bigger name and provided more brutal evidence of his ability with his insane knockout of challenger Bermane Stiverne last weekend.
Wilder by name, wilder by nature https://t.co/znme2w1MUa
— FootballJOE (@FootballJOE) November 5, 2017
Parker’s team have put in place a minimum offer that they would agree to but there’s no chance in hell that Hearn would be willing to greenlight a 60/40 split so, as of right now, it’s looking like Joshua vs. Wilder is up next.
“I’ll give you a simple answer. They pay us 40 per cent and not a cent less, or they will fight Wilder, who will obviously win and then we’ll fight Wilder 50-50,” Higgins continued. “If they want to go fight Wilder, they can, and then we’ll fight Wilder on a 50-50 basis later in the year, once he has all three belts.
“We will come to England and fight AJ, but 40 per cent is the bottom line and I can give my word now, not one per cent less.
“We have got several fights on the table and I tell you this, we have pretty much given up on Joshua. Assuming someone hacked his email, I apologise to Eddie, and he’s welcome to give me a call. He’s got my number if he wants to actually make a respectable offer.
“Joseph has earned the right. He’s going to put it all on the line and deserves a fair payday. The terms they offered disrespect every kid in the world who wants to become heavyweight world champion and set their family up for life.”
