ANTHONY JOSHUA has warned Deontay Wilder they will fight on โmy termsโ after revealing Eddie Hearn will make an offer to the WBC heavyweight champion.
The 28-year-old Joshua, who defeated Carlos Takam by TKO to retain his world heavyweight titles last month, insists potential opponents only talk of fighting him without making an official approach.
Most recently Wilder accused Joshuaโs promoter Hearn of delaying negotiations regarding a potential match-up and WBO champion Joseph Parker described him as his โpreferred optionโ.
Before Wilder stopped Bermane Stiverne inside a round in his sixth WBC heavyweight title defence, Hearn had spoken of plans to make him an offer to fight Joshuaโs rival Dillian Whyte.
However, Joshua told Press Association Sport: โIf Wilderโs not making an offer weโll do it on my terms. Present him with an offer, and see how they feel about that offer. That only goes to the champions: Deontay Wilder and Joseph Parker. Itโs the same situation to both of them.
โItโs no problem if Wilder wants to fight early next year, but no offers have been made to me. There has never been an offer. Everyone says they want to fight, and then sits back and waits for me to do all the homework.
โWhat we then have to do โ which Eddieโs doing โ is fly out to the United States to make time. No offers have been made from their or our side; we had a mandatory in place, and now weโre taking the time and effort to get the ball rolling.
AND STILLโฆ. 39-0 38 Ko.@barclayscenter
November 4, 2017
Brooklyn, NewYork#HistoryMade pic.twitter.com/x8RIUdHCnPโ Deontay Wilder (@BronzeBomber) November 6, 2017
โThereโs one thing talking and acting, but negotiations donโt happen over social media. Weโre now making the moves forward.โ
Joshua added: โIโm serious about becoming undisputed heavyweight champion of the world. Weโre just making sure that a lot of these guys who are making noise will back up what theyโre saying.โ
Americaโs Wilder, 32, had told BBC Sport: โEddie is ducking me more so than Joshua. If you want to stay at home like a little girl, this king has no problem travelling to knock out the champion.โ
The promoter of the 25-year-old Parker, David Higgins, also said in quotes reported by Radio New Zealand: โEddie and I have exchanged emails. My message was Joe would fight Joshua next and Hearnโs was that Joshua would fight Parker next.โ
.@anthonyfjoshua‘s stock is rising and the heavyweight division is resurging ????
2018 can’t come soon enough ???????? pic.twitter.com/s8BwEIAL6x
โ SHOWTIME Boxing (@ShowtimeBoxing) November 7, 2017
Press Association Sport also understands that Joshua hopes to secure his next fight, in the UK, by Christmas so that he can begin preparations in the first week of January.
Most recently Hearn discussed the prospect of Joshua fighting at Twickenham, and the IBF and WBA champion told Press Association Sport: โAny stadium that caters for a combat sport definitely has a place for boxing in it.
โBut for all the people coming to Twickenham, Iโd love to have a credible night, someone with some โassetsโ, these belts that Iโm trying to get my hands on.
โLetโs focus on who Iโm fighting first. Iโve actually been there on a tour, never to watch a game, but when I was younger I went there on a tour to look at the grounds. I definitely liked it: itโs massive, itโs got the hospitality.โ
Video: Showtime Sports