Eddie Hearn: Deontay Wilder Won’t Get Title Shot Until 2022
Deontay Wilder will not be getting a title shot anytime soon.
Wilder was expected to have a trilogy fight with Tyson Fury for the WBC heavyweight championship this year. However, that will no longer be the case after their rematch clause expired despite the claims of Wilder’s manager.
Instead, the plan is for Fury to face a different opponent in December before going on to meet Anthony Joshua in two title unification clashes set to take place in 2021. And given Wilder’s silence the last few weeks, Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn — who promotes Joshua — believes the “Bronze Bomber” may be done with the sport.
“This is what I’d like to hear from Deontay Wilder [that he wants the rematch with Fury]. He’s his own man,” Hearn told Sky Sports Boxing (via BoxingNews24). “If he’s all of a sudden earned his money, and he’s going to walk off into the sunset, good luck to him.
“It’s a dangerous sport. You need to earn your money and get out of there, but you also need your pride and legacy. That’s key as well, and for Wilder, I don’t know any other fighter that wouldn’t be thinking, ‘I want that rematch.’ I want to hear it.
“As you say, he’s gone missing. For Shelly Finkel and Bob Arum and those guys to sit there and say, ‘The contract has expired.’ What kind of contract was this. We’re coming off of a global pandemic. The Force majeure would cover them in that respect. Surely if they weren’t out of contract, Shelly Finkel would be taking legal action.”
Should Wilder still want to compete and get a chance for his title, however, he will have to wait until 2022 according to Hearn.
“It’s all really weird,” Hearn said. “All I know is Wilder has messed a boat. He’s not going to get a shot at a world title until 2022 and onwards because we’re [Joshua] going to have our two fights next year if we beat Kubrat Pulev.
“… The belts tied up for two years. I don’t know. It’s very, very strange. But maybe he’s [Wilder] done. You wouldn’t hold it against him. Good luck to him. As long as he’s happy in his life, but I don’t understand the situation with Shelly and the contract and how they’ve not been across this. For us, it’s good news because Tyson can have an easy fight in December rather than fighting Deontay Wilder.””
All signs are pointing to a highly-anticipated Joshua vs. Fury fight and not many boxing fans will be complaining.
What do you make of the situation?
