Anthony Joshua and Joseph Parker will both put their heavyweight belts on the line this Saturday when the pair face each other at Cardiff's Principality Stadium.
Ahead of the clash, Deontay Wilder had been scheduled to appear on Sky Sports as a part of their punditry team. However, reports emerged yesterday morning that Wilder would not be traveling to Cardiff with the American boxer apparently disappointed he would not be permitted to enter the ring and call-out Joshua.
Wilder has made his desire to face Joshua clear in recent months but speaking to IFL TV yesterday, Hearn raged at his decision to not travel.
There is people who talk and there is people who actually go about their business. Joseph Parker is one talked, but was actually realistic and wanted the fight. There are other people in the world who are talking about the fight but the reality is they don't want to know unless they get a deal that isn't going to happen. Forget the bullshit about all these people talking "I want Joshua" Don't talk bollix. You either do or you don't.
You want to talk about that geezer, Deontay Wilder, who wants the fight so bad and now he's talking about not coming. Are you a joke? You've got the entire world media in Cardiff. You've got Dillian Whyte. You've got Anthony Joshua, something is bound to happen with Wilder after fight. You could build the fight to astronomical levels and you want to sit on your arse for a so-called fight that you want so bad? Don't give me that bullshit, all your doing is using Anthony Joshua's name.
Bullshit. Your bum's gone.
Today Hearn followed up on that statement, claiming he offered Whyte to Wilder and a chance to 'make by far the biggest payday of his career, probably by double actually.' According to Hearn, that offer was made over 24 hours ago and Wilder has not responded.
It seems Hearn's real concern was orchestrating a Whyte vs Wilder match-up, a prospect Wilder does not appear interested in.