“It’s a mismatch”- Eddie Hearn says the Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder fight is DEAD for now

Eddie Hearn thinks Deontay Wilder is no longer on Anthony Joshua's level after embarrassing defeat.

“It’s a mismatch”- Eddie Hearn says the Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder fight is DEAD for now

Eddie Hearn, Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder (image credit- Marca, DAZN, IMAGO)

The fight between Deontay Wilder and Anthony Joshua was a game-changer for many fans of the sport. The sight of two Titans going head-to-head would have captivated the hearts of even the most apathetic fans. However, all that is now up in the air after Wilder lost to Joseph Parker in the co-main event of ‘Day of Reckoning.’ Furthermore, Eddie Hearn made a statement in an interview that has taken away the glimmer of hope fans had about the fight.

Anthony Joshua shone brightly and won his fight against Otto Wallin via a TKO victory after a dominant performance. However, the same could not be said for Wilder, who lost via a unanimous decision against Parker. Furthermore, the sight of such a fighter being beaten in the ring was almost sadder than the fight itself.

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Hearn remarked that, after Wilder’s loss, the fight between him and AJ is dead for now. Subsequently, in an interview with iFL TV, Hearn stated:

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It’s a mismatch between AJ and him at the moment, in my opinion.
Eddie Hearn via iFL TV

Hearn stated that they had already signed a contract to announce the fight if both fighters won. Subsequently, after Wilder was defeated, the fight became dead for now, especially since Wilder’s career has been diminishing gradually. After Joshua’s victory, he stated that he was still willing to fight Wilder in 2024.

However, Hearn feels that the fight won’t bring the numbers they had initially predicted. Furthermore, Hearn stated that Wilder and AJ can still fight in the future because boxing is an unpredictable sport. Hence, what was billed as ‘the greatest fight of the century’ between Wilder and AJ has turned into ‘fairy dust’ according to Hearn.

Anthony Joshua’s next three potential opponents in 2024

Most fans predicted that AJ and Wilder would win their respective fights and finally meet in the ring after several years of anticipation. However, Parker caused one of the greatest upsets in boxing and defeated Wilder, which foiled the plans for the mega-fight. Wilder will have to redeem himself since he hasn’t defeated any significant fighters since his losses against Tyson Fury.

Anthony Joshua, Eddie Hearn, Deontay Wilder
Anthony Joshua (Image credit- IMAGO)

Furthermore, Joshua, on the other hand, has a plethora of opponents to choose from after his stunning victory. Subsequently, three well-known heavyweight boxers were announced as potential opponents that AJ might fight in 2024. In the interview with iFL TV, Hearn stated that AJ could potentially fight Francis Ngannou, Filip Hrgovic, and Zhilei Zhang.

Hrgovic is a former heavyweight champion, and AJ can fight him for the vacant IBF title. Subsequently, Zhang holds the current WBO heavyweight title and might do a title defense against AJ since they have also fought in the Olympics. Lastly, Ngannou has only had one boxing match, but it was against Fury, and Ngannou and AJ fighting would be interesting.

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