By Miguel Rivera
Golden Boy Promotions CEO Oscar de la Hoya is very interested in the heavyweight unification between world champion Deontay Wilder (40-0, 29 KOs) and Anthony Joshua (21-0, 20 KOs).
But, De La Hoya believes the contest would be much bigger in 2019 - and feels that it shouldn't be rushed to take place in 2018.
The two boxers were in discussions for a fight this coming fall, but they were unable to reach an agreement on all of the terms.
Joshua will now defend his WBA, WBO, IBF, IBO titles against Alexander Povetkin, likely on Spetember 22nd in the UK.
Wilder is likely going to make a mandatory defense in the fall, against Dominic Breazeale.
Should they both win their upcoming fights, there is the possibility of having them collide in April of next year.
In the opinion of the De La Hoya, the extra time will be good to further build that contest - as he believes the fight is not yet ready for the American pay-per-view market - and he feel the anticipated bout could perform much better on a PPV platform if both sides provide it with the necessary time to grow.
"I, as a boxing fan, would love to see that fight, but it's not about two fighters not wanting to fight. I know Joshua is a warrior who wants to fight with Wilder," De La Hoya said to ESPN Deportes.
"That fight would be incredible, but for me that fight should be done in about six months or have it done in a year - so it can grow and be a bigger fight. Not only have they not fought on pay-per-view, but nobody knows them in the pay-per-view market [in the United States].
"Wilder is a great fighter, I respect and admire him, but fighting on a pay-per-view platform is not the same as fighting on Showtime or on HBO - where you do not have to pay (extra). To demand that people pay 70 or 80 dollars is difficult, and there is only one fighter who can do it (now) and that is Canelo Alvarez."
