Joseph Parker's promoter says he has "pretty much given up" on the Anthony Joshua fight after receiving a "ridiculously low offer" from Eddie Hearn.
According to David Higgins, promoter for WBO heavyweight champion Joseph Parker (24-0, 18 KOs), he was shocked at the "low" offer that was presented to him from Eddie Hearn, who promotes IBF, IBO, WBA world champion Anthony Joshua (20-0, 20 KOs).
Higgins had recently stated that Parker was prepared to face Joshua on UK soil if the offer was at least 60-40 in the British star's favor.
But Higgins reveals that Hearn emailed over an offer that was so low that he initially felt the British promoter's email was hacked.
Higgins has claimed in the past that Hearn was presenting an 80-20 offer in his boxer's favor.
"I got this weird email from Eddie's email address, but he must have been hacked," Higgins exclusively told Sky Sports. "He made the most ridiculously low offer. It could have been the most insulting offer in boxing history. To expect 40 percent is actually quite reasonable, because you have earned it, and it's a unification.
"Of course I have mentioned it [to Joseph Parker] and he just laughed like I did. I'm not going to reply, because I don't think it was Eddie Hearn. I reckon someone hacked his account, it was a scam. I reckon Eddie respects boxing and I reckon Anthony Joshua wouldn't want to insult Joseph Parker. Joseph has worked his way from the ground up and earned the right. Joshua, I think, would understand and respect that, so it can't possibly be AJ or Eddie that made the offer. It must be an email hack."
Higgins is not planning to budge from his position of wanting at least 40 percent to forward with a Joshua fight on UK soil. He doesn't plan to move away from their position of requesting what they deemed as a "fair offer."
But Team Parker also has a Plan B.
They expect Joshua will fight WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder - and Higgins expects Wilder will win - and then Higgins will pursue a 50-50 deal with Parker taking on Wilder.
"I'll give you a simple answer. They pay us 40 percent and not a cent less, or they will fight Wilder, who will obviously win and then we'll fight Wilder 50-50," said Higgins. "If they want to go fight Wilder, they can, and then we'll fight Wilder on a 50-50 basis later in the year, once he has all three belts.
"We will come to England and fight AJ, but 40 per cent is the bottom line and I can give my word now, not one per cent less. We have got several fights on the table and I tell you this, we have pretty much given up on Joshua. Assuming someone hacked his email, I apologise to Eddie, and he's welcome to give me a call. He's got my number if he wants to actually make a respectable offer."
