IBF, IBO, WBA heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua (20-0, 20 KOs) is wondering if WBO champion Joseph Parker (24-0, 18 KOs) is attempting to cash-out by trying to use his title belt as a trinket to get the biggest payday possible.
Parker's promoter, David Higgins of Duco Events, has made it clear that he won't even consider a financial split of 80-20 from Eddie Hearn, who handles Joshua.
Higgins stated that a 50-50 split could be a starting point, but he is willing to bend to a 60-40 split in Joshua's favor.
Joshua was surprised by the comments that were made by Parker and his promoter with respect to the financial split.
"You hear like Joseph Parker saying 'oh they offered like 20 percent of the pot and I'm not happy with that - I'm not fighting him for 20 percent'," Joshua told iFL TV. "Are you trying to sell yourself to fight? Are you trying to sell your belt? Some people contradict what they're saying."
Hearn has spoken with Higgins and they would like to stage that unification in the first quarter of 2018, likely on a date in March or April.
There are also discussions happening with the management of WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder, but Hearn is not looking to make that fight in the near future. He would rather have Wilder and Joshua collide next summer - and prefers to have the British star face Parker first and then meet Wilder.
"I've had to take it on, in my time off, to make plans to travel to America and discuss negotiations, so I can become undisputed heavyweight champion of the world. I have been taking challenges throughout my career - even as an amateur I was doing that - and I fought for a world title in my 16th professional fight. I've never been in the business of ducking, anyway. I'm not afraid of anyone," Joshua said.