Heavyweight Anthony Joshua, promoted by Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing, faces Otto Wallin in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on 23 December. In the co-main event, American Deontay Wilder takes on Joseph Parker.
Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions, in conjunction with Saudi representatives, is hosting the blockbuster card. It is the first time Queensberry and Matchroom have come together for a such a huge event.
In his BBC Sport column, Hearn reflects on how two of Britain’s biggest promoters buried the hatchet and discusses whether the long-awaited Joshua-Wilder fight will happen next year.
I met Frank Warren for the first time at Wednesday’s news conference. I’ve probably seen him a million times in interviews on my phone or screen but never actually met him.
It was a very simple exchange.
I said we should forget the rubbish, that this is a big opportunity for Queensberry, Matchroom, for boxing and our fighters, so let’s not mess it up. He said pretty much the same to me.
This could be a real turning point for British boxing.
Matchroom and Queensberry will always be rivals, which is good for the fans because we will do our best to put on great shows, to be ahead of the competition.
But I have always said when the opportunity is right for the fighter, egos will generally be put to one side.
We would be idiots if we turned down this chance for Anthony Joshua, or Dmitry Bivol and Jai Opetaia who fight on the undercard. These are life-changing opportunities for some of those guys.
The doors are now certainly open for future business with Queensberry. I do not expect every word to come out of Warren’s mouth to now be positive about me and probably vice versa, but this is an example of what can happen when we work together.
Fired-up AJ not one to play games
At the start of 2023 Joshua told me he wanted three fights this year. He was adamant. This whole road to undisputed when he was champion put up so many hurdles and roadblocks and thwarted his activity.
You never want to be beltless, but in a way it has been nice to map out his career and do what we want to do.
Joshua showed his fighter’s mentality on Wednesday. It was quite an unusual surrounding – you had rivals and guys that have been saying negative stuff about him for years just sitting right by him and Joshua’s not one to play games. Once you disrespect him, that’s it.
He clashed with Jarrell Miller, who he has beef with from the past. AJ is not kind of the guy to go, ‘Hey mate, how are you? Nice to see you’. Last time they saw each other they were about to go out on the streets of Brooklyn and have a tear-up.
It was the same with Otto Wallin. He has been talking smack about AJ, so Joshua told him in the head-to-head not to come over and try a fist bump.
Even Dev Sahni of Queensberry Promotions, who was hosting the event, was in the firing line. I thought Sahni did a great job but Joshua wanted me to ask the questions, not Sahni.
I liked what I saw from AJ but he just cannot win with some people.
On one hand you have those complaining he is too laid-back at press conferences and does not seem that bothered. Then when he is fired up and wants to take someone’s head off they say he appears rattled.
Building towards Joshua-Wilder in Spring 2024
I am currently at the airport lounge about to board a flight to Los Angeles – we have a show on this weekend featuring Diego Pacheco, one of the most exciting talents in world boxing – and Deontay Wilder has just walked in. He is about five yards from me.
Wilder was quite calm on Wednesday. It was probably a good thing. If he acted along the same lines as Miller then I reckon all hell could have broken loose.
We are building towards Joshua and Wilder, but both need to win on 23 December. Nothing has been signed but there are extensive talks which continued into the night after the news conference.
I am confident that before Riyadh in December we will be in a position to give the fans some good news. If it happens then it will definitely happen by spring next year.
You may wonder why Joshua and Wilder could not fight each other next month – it was just down to time. Just six weeks out, a fight of that magnitude is not going to be possible. The Wilder fight comes with additional baggage of negotiation on many different levels.
But we should not detract from the fact both men have tricky fights to get through first. The southpaw Wallin in particular is a very risky fight for AJ. They know each other and have sparred rounds together.
A festive boxing period
I was looking at 23 December and thinking at least I have that Saturday off before Christmas.
The run we are on at the moment is just incredible. Next week in Dublin Katie Taylor will try to avenge her defeat by Chantelle Cameron. A huge card and the atmosphere will be just off the scale.
The week after we will be in Belfast for Mick Conlan v Jordan Gill. Arguably the fight of the year, Regis Prograis v Devin Haney then takes place on 9 December.
On the following Saturday is perhaps the fans’ fight of the year – Sunny Edwards v Jesse Rodriguez in a flyweight unification.
And then it is straight off to Riyadh. I have never experienced anything like it. Boxing is in the best place it has ever been.
Eddie Hearn was speaking to BBC Sport’s Kal Sajad.
