Eddie Hearn has revealed he was snubbed when he made Deontay Wilder a substantial offer to face Anthony Joshua.
Joshua will take on Oleksandr Usyk in a rematch this weekend as he looks to regain his heavyweight world titles at the Jeddah Super Dome in Saudi Arabia. A win for Joshua could see him challenge Tyson Fury for a shot at all the marbles but if the 'Gypsy King' elects to retire, it could see Wilder step up to the plate.
Wilder is currently ranked No.1 with the WBC and would be first in line to challenge for the title if Fury vacates his crown. Matchroom Boxing promoter Hearn has admitted he has submitted an offer but is yet to receive any communication from Wilder's team.
"I have got so much money for Wilder in an offer, but they never come back to me," Hearn said when asked about a fight between Joshua and Wilder in an interview with Seconds Out. "I don't know whether Deontay Wilder doesn't want to hear about that offer but whatever.
"Right now honestly I am not thinking about any fight for AJ except Saturday night. If he loses the Wilder fight is there, but if he wins I think all he is thinking about his final fight with Fury. The Dillian Whyte fight will also be likely out there for AJ win or lose."
Wilder came close to agreeing a fight with Joshua when the pair held the titles back in 2018. Joshua and Wilder could have faced each other in a clash if the offer from Wilder's team had been increased from the $50million Joshua rejected to stage the event at Wembley.
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However after months of back and forth between the pair, a showdown failed to take place with both men eventually losing their titles. It is claimed by Hearn that Joshua asked for a shot against Wilder to be put in place if Usyk had been unable to fulfil the contracted rematch immediately while he fought against the Russian invasion in Ukraine.
Wilder has been out of action since losing to Fury last October but is set to return to the ring this October against Robert Helenius. Wilder's manager Shelly Finkel instead believes an "enormous" fight between Wilder and Joshua is still at the forefront of the American star's plans.
"I believe that fight is enormous even if he loses to Usyk," he told The Sun. "I don't know anyone else's numbers or money, it's not my business but I heard that the Saudis put up a lot of money for Joshua to fight Usyk over there. I don't believe Joshua vs Usyk now is as big as Fury vs Usyk is and - being for all the belts - the Saudis may step up. Who knows? So there's a lot of moving pieces."
