Hearn: Very Disappointing if Joshua-Wilder Pushed Back To 2020
By Victor Salazar
New York - There’s nothing quite like a big fight atmosphere inside of the world’s most famous arena. Madison Square Garden has played host to many historical boxing fights in its existence.
This past Saturday, the sport’s biggest star Canelo Alvarez (51-1-2, 35 KOs) destroyed Rocky Fielding (27-2, 15 KOs) in front of 20,112 fans in a sold out arena.
The fight certainly felt like Fielding was in over his head but the screaming fans inside Madison Square Garden didn’t seem to care.
Promoter Eddie Hearn, a man used to big fight atmospheres in the United Kingdom said even he felt some energy that he never felt while being inside Madison Square Garden.
“This place just gives you goose bumps when you walk out here.” Hearn told BoxingScene.com “I want (Anthony) Joshua to fight here, whether it’s Deontay Wilder or (Jarrell) Big Baby Miller.”
Joshua (22-0, 21 KOs) and Wilder (40-0-1, 39 KOs) is arguably the biggest fight to make in boxing.
However with a rematch looming this Saturday between Dillian Whyte (24-1, 17 KOs) and Derek Chisora (29-8, 21 KOs), most people think the winner of the fight or Jarrell Miller is facing Joshua next. Joshua is already penciled in for an April 13th date at Wembley Stadium, but a report has surfaced on BoxingScene.com that Miller would get the Joshua assignment next in New York with Amir Khan (33-4, 20 KOs) and Kell Brook (38-2, 26 KOs). moving to Wembley on the proposed April 13th date.
Regarding Khan-Brook, Hearn said, “We should know if Khan is fighting Terence Crawford or Kell Brook this week.”
For Joshua, Hearn wants the Wilder fight next and by latest the end of 2019 even if Wilder has a big rematch fight with Tyson Fury also on the table.
“If its 2020, it’s going to be very disappointing,” explained Hearn. “Wilder’s always said one face one champion, we can make an undisputed fight right now. If that’s important to him and legacy is important, then he’ll fight Joshua. We can’t do anything if he doesn’t want the fight.”
Wilder majority draw with Fury added another player to the division but still feels Wilder should take the Joshua fight next.
“Wilder-Fury, It just made the heavyweight division more exciting. It’s added another player. Its added value to Tyson Fury and added value to Tyson Fury so yeah it’s made the division more exciting. We want Wilder next. We can’t make it anymore more clear, We want them next.”