Eddie Hearn has disclosed that Dillian Whyte has turned down an offer to fight Anthony Joshua, citing the offered payment as “unacceptable.”
Despite the potential for an August rematch between the two heavyweights, nearly eight years after their initial clash for the British heavyweight title, it seems likely that Hearn will need to explore other options for Joshua’s next opponent.
Anthony Joshua vs Dillian Whyte fight to not see the light of day
While Joshua himself expressed a desire to face Whyte once again, the rejection of the offer means alternative arrangements will probably have to be made. Especially as Anthony gears up for a showdown with Deontay Wilder later in the year, outlandish deals with Dillian seem quite unlikely.
🗣️ 𝐀𝐧𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐲 𝐉𝐨𝐬𝐡𝐮𝐚 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐃𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐖𝐡𝐲𝐭𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐭 ‼️@EddieHearn on @anthonyjoshua vs @DillianWhyte
🎤 @ColmMcGuigan pic.twitter.com/VHgUXhMAkh
— IFL TV (@IFLTV) June 20, 2023
“No, it’s not true at all. We made them an offer which they made clear is nowhere near their expectations, and quite honestly. There were very little expectations after that,” said Eddie Hearn to Boxing Social. “They never asked for ten million. I’m not sure where that came from, but it’s not the case.”
In a surprising public statement last month, Tyson expressed his willingness to fight Joshua. Eddie, in response, has stated that he will consider Fury as an option if a match-up with Deontay fails to materialize.
The potential fight between Joshua and Wilder is expected to take place in Saudi Arabia in December.
Another contender eager for a chance to face Joshua is Derek Chisora, who believes he has earned the opportunity to step in if Dillian Whyte fails to reach an agreement with Joshua’s team.
What is next for Anthony Joshua?
Eddie is currently exploring other options from a shortlist of fighters for Joshua’s next match, but he remains tight-lipped about potential opponents. Hearn has revealed that the Saudi Arabian organizers prefer Joshua not to fight in order to safeguard their December event.
There have been discussions about Agit Kabayel potentially being Joshua’s opponent on August 12th. But Hearn clarified that Kabayel is just one of the names being considered.
There is a degree of risk involved for Joshua to fight in August. Any injury or defeat could jeopardize his December fight plans. However, long inactivity could damage the form of the Briton who finally got back to his winning ways.
Now that AJ seems to have a lot of options in his hand, who do you think he should face next? Share your thoughts with us below!
