Eddie Hearn, promoter for IBF, WBA, WBO, IBO heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua, is "gutted" after reading the recent statements of Shelly Finkel, the co-manager of WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder.
Finkel made it clear that Wilder's has a full plate of fights for 2019 - and a unification with Joshua is unlikely until at least 2020.
Wilder is back on May 18th, when he makes a mandatory defense against Dominic Breazeale at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
Joshua is back in action on June 1, against late replacement Andy Ruiz at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
Hearn says the truth is finally clear after Finkel's recent statements.
"Gutted. I’m just glad now that finally people are starting to see. It’s like the Ortiz thing, imagine if I hadn’t said something, it would have been non-stop stick," Hearn told IFL TV.
"Depressing. I can’t be bothered to talk about it. I just hope the public have seen the truth."
Hearn was very pleased with being able to secure Ruiz for Joshua's American debut, after originally opponent Jarrell Miller was removed after failing three pre-fight drug tests.
"I believe in terms of the fighters who are genuinely available, this is the one who will give AJ the toughest test. And this is the one who will give us the most entertaining fight," Hearn said.
"At the start, [Ruiz was] two or three [on the list of replacements]. Ortiz was always the first choice. All the feedback I’m getting from the boxing community is this is a much tougher fight than Jarrell Miller. When I spoke to him, I found a guy who was desperate for the shot because he thought he could beat him. He was a genuine guy who wanted the fight. He’s going to bring it."