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Anthony Joshua this, Anthony Joshua that. According to Eddie Hearn, Deontay Wilder has been paying attention to the wrong former champion.
This Saturday night, at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh Saudi Arabia, Joseph Parker will take on Wilder in the co-main event. The hard-hitting Alabama native has already put in the work associated with a grueling training camp and wholeheartedly believes that Parker won’t last longer than a few rounds.
As of late, however, Wilder has talked perpetually about Joshua. Although Hearn appreciates his enthusiasm, the longtime promoter is hoping that Wilder isn’t looking too much ahead.
“He better be switched on or he’ll lose to Joseph Parker,” said Hearn to FightHype’s Sean Zittel
The worry that Hearn currently has isn’t shared by the rest of the boxing world. The betting public has him heavily favored to not only win but do so before the sound of the final bell.
Parker, 31, has been one of the most active heavyweights around this year. In a day and age where fighting twice a year is a rarity, Parker’s showdown against Wilder will be his fourth in 2023.
To a large extent, Hearn needs Wilder to hold up his end of the bargain. As long as the former belt holder picks up the win and Joshua wipes the floor with Otto Wallin, the pair seemingly have a wink-wink deal in place that will ensure they meet in the first half of 2024.
Until then, Hearn wants Wilder to keep Joshua off his mind. Once they take care of business this Saturday night, Wilder will get exactly what he’s been looking for, a brutal knockout loss at the hands of the former unified champ.
“He can punch like a mule but Joseph is up for this fight. It ain’t gonna be easy. He better win because when he wins and if we win, which I believe we will, we’re gonna fight. And AJ is gonna knock him out.”