Promoter Eddie Hearn has revealed a mega-fight between Anthony Joshua and the winner of Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder wouldn’t be in the UK due to money.
There’s big demand for Joshua and Fury to face each other on home turf should the Gypsy King defeat Wilder to gain the WBC heavyweight title.
But Eddie Hearn has cast doubt on that possibility by claiming that a mega-fight would more than likely happen abroad.
‘A Huge Pot of Money’
Hearn said the UK don’t invest in ‘mega events’, meaning it’s unlikely that the fight would be in AJ’s home country whether it’s with fellow Brit Fury or the ‘Bronze Bomber’.
The 40-year-old admits he believes it should happen in the UK, but the financial pull of other countries is too big of a factor.
Speaking to iFL TV, Hearn said: “For me, it should happen in the UK and if there’s a way to do it, we’ll do it.”
“But the problem is the money that could be generated.”
“Because the government here don’t invest in bringing mega events to the UK, they don’t necessarily need to.”
“They’ve got Premier League football games every weekend selling 50,000, 60,000, 80,000”
“But other countries whether it’s Nigeria, Congo, China, Saudi, Qatar, Abu Dhabi, their government, their tourism department, has a huge pot of money that they’re looking to bring major events to showcase their country to the world as a tourism destination.”
Concerns
The increasing interest from other countries like those mentioned by Hearn has raised concerns amongst humanitarian groups of ‘sportswashing’.
Activists claim that countries with poor human rights are using massive sporting events to disguise and alter perceptions of their human rights records.
The rematch between Joshua and Andy Ruiz Jr for instance raised concerns regarding human rights in Saudi Arabia.
But the promoter says it’s simply down to the money, and his job is getting his fighters the best paycheck he can.
“Someone messaged me and said, ‘For f***’s sake Eddie, Saudi Arabia, who cares about the money? You’re so greedy, just do it in England’,” Hearn explained.
“Do you think I go up to the guys and say, ‘You can make £150m each to do it in Saudi or £40m in the UK, but Dave on Twitter from Rochdale says you’re a c*** and you gotta do it in England.”
“It doesn’t work like that, have a brain.”
“If it was the difference of £10m each– But it’s not, it’s double to go somewhere else.”
“And it can’t be ignored.”
“Especially a fight like that, it’s a one-off.”
Obligations
Joshua is still required to defend his WBO and IBF titles or vacate one of the belts.
Fury and Wilder meanwhile go head-to-head in Las Vegas on February 22 with the WBC heavyweight title on the line.
Will a mega-fight between AJ and the winner of Wilder vs Fury 2 come to fruition?
And if so, where will it be?
(Featured image source: Instagram/ Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder)