Eddie Hearn, who promotes WBO, WBA, IBO, IBF heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua, is taking a big risk in stating that WBC champion Deontay Wilder should get less money for a proposed unification date of April 13 at Wembley in London.

The two sides were negotiating a potential fight for the fall - but their discussions fell apart when the World Boxing Association ordered Joshua to reach an agreement with mandatory challenger Alexander Povetkin.

 

Wilder's next opponent is likely WBC mandatory challenger Dominic Breazeale, who Joshua knocked out in seven rounds in 2016.

According to Hearn, Joshua's name value will continue to grow by the time April comes around - so Wilder should not receive the same amount of money that he was slated to gain for this fall. 

Wilder was reportedly going to receive $15 million for a date in the fall, which was an increase from a previous offer of $12.5 million.

And, Hearn would like to have the deal finalized before Joshua steps in the ring with Povetkin.

"[Wilder] was never on a percentage. He was on a flat fee, which he accepted," Hearn exclusively told Sky Sports.

"I think the fee should go down, because Joshua is going to fight Povetkin, and if he wins, his value will increase significantly, and I don't believe that Wilder will be in a fight that will increase his value. The argument that he should get more money, when Joshua's profile continues to rise doesn't make sense. But the good news for them is - the offer is still on the table.

"We're going to send them this week a new contract with a new date, and Joshua is going to sign the contract, so it's even more black and white. A lot of people are saying Joshua wouldn't sign the contract, you don't want the fight, so this way it's - 'here's everything you've agreed, it's signed' When you look at a contract and it's all blank, and then you look at it and there's Anthony Joshua's signature on it, it's a lot more tempting to just get it done, so fingers crossed he'll sign it."