Deontay Wilder opens up on ‘beautiful’ link up with Eddie Hearn… after years of feuding with Anthony Joshua’s promoter
DEONTAY WILDER has opened up on his “beautiful” link up with Eddie Hearn – following years of bitter feuding.
Wilder and his team have always gone back and forth with Hearn over failed talks to fight Anthony Joshua.
It led to over half a decade of jibes, insults and accusations.
But that looks to be put to bed after Hearn selected Wilder to represent him in the 5v5 series of bouts against Frank Warren’s picks.
The ex-WBC champion – who captain’s Hearn’s side – faces Zhilei Zhang on June 1 in Saudi Arabia after giving their promotional feud the KO.
Wilder, 38, told Boxing News: “It’s a beautiful thing. Over years of back and forth, disagreements and different little things… But life brings about a change, and change is always good.
“When you look at it, you have to look at the landscape of right now, and you’ve got some interesting guys like the Saudis that are in there, changing everything about boxing: the way we promote it, the way we line up fights, and all those different things.
“Why not have the change of being able to work with each other?
“We don’t have to like each other to do business, but sometimes when you’ve been around a person long enough, you understand their ways and they understand your ways and you can co-exist with each other. That’s what it’s all about.
“I’m glad that we are at this point in time where we can co-exist with each other, because I’m always a promoter’s dream and I think I’m a dream come true for Eddie.
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“I’m happy to be a part of Matchroom and [be] the captain.”
Talks for Wilder and Joshua to fight started as early as 2018 but conflicting TV and promotional deals prevented the bout.
What followed was non-stop arguing between the camps until an agreement was finally made last year.
A fight between Joshua, 34, and Wilder was signed for March until disaster struck.
Wilder was beaten by Joseph Parker, 32, and instead ex-UFC champ Francis Ngannou, 37, took his place and lost in two rounds to Joshua.
Even on that night, just four months ago, Hearn fumed: “I said in the build-up I don’t rate him. Wilder had no idea, no clue. He lost every round.
“He had his hand up telling the referees he won the fight. He’s not right. That’s the reality.
“It was the most one-sided heavyweight fight I’ve ever seen. It’s ruined our plans.”
But, in an interview with iFL TV, Hearn changed his tune and said: “He does like me, we are besties! But in all seriousness I’ve always liked Deontay Wilder.
“Obviously we’ve always had the rivalry through AJ, but I got told to sign a heavyweight for the division and I believe Deontay Wilder will bounce back in style.
“I looked at those available and who was the best one available? It was Deontay Wilder, and he will knock him out inside five rounds.
“I have made him my captain and who knows where it goes after this, but we just need to go through Zhilei Zhang.”
