Eddie Hearn Says Joseph Parker Defeating Deontay Wilder Showed Why They Were So Confident

Eddie Hearn says Joseph Parker defeating Deontay Wilder shows why he and Anthony Joshua were so confident ahead of their potential fight.

Back on The Day Of Reckoning Card in December, Wilder was set to fight Parker, while Joshua was facing Otto Wallin. If the two both won, it would lead to a fight in March, but Wilder was upset as he lost a one-sided decision.

Although the fight isn’t happening, Eddie Hearn says Deontay Wilder’s performance shows why he and Anthony Joshua were so confident.

“You still read the comments like, ‘Oh, AJ and Eddie were so happy that Wilder lost,’ ” a smirking Hearn told DAZN’s team of announcers (h/t BoxingScene). “Are you mad? I mean, one, it was an absolute fortune. Number two, it was like, and I know Wilder was poor that night, but you saw why we were so confident in that fight. We truly believed that was a great matchup for us. And Wilder, even as poor as he was, can still beat anyone on any given night.”

After Deontay Wilder lost, Eddie Hearn and Anthony Joshua turned their attention to Francis Ngannou who they will fight in March in Saudi Arabia.

“So, you know, after the Fury-Ngannou fight, I remember, you know, going back to my hotel room that night thinking that’s the fight – AJ against Ngannou,” Hearn said. “Look at the size of them. You imagine those two when they weigh in. Like they are two absolute, you know, atoms. And I think it’s the best fight. And, you know, straight after that fight December 23rd, when Wilder lost, myself and Frank [Smith] went straight to [Alalshikh] and he said to us, ‘What are we gonna do?’

“He said, ‘What’s the biggest fight we can possibly make?’ And I said, ‘Mate, there’s only one, Joshua-Ngannou.’ And, you know, as the magic man [does], bang! It’s up and running. And like, tell me a bigger fight in the heavyweight division, outside of Fury-Usyk. There isn’t one. And when these two come together and that bell rings, it’s gonna be a sight to behold in Riyadh,” Hearn added.

Do you think Anthony Joshua would have beaten Deontay Wilder?