Former undisputed heavyweight world champion Lennox Lewis would like to see current unified king Anthony Joshua (21-0, 20 KOs) aggressively push to get unification deal done with WBC champion Deontay Wilder (40-0, 39 KOs).
There were serious negotiations to make that fight for the fall, but the two sides were unable to reach an agreement.
Wilder's camp offered up a guarantee of $50 million, with Joshua rejecting the offer because he wasn't interested in fighting in the United States.
Joshua is now going to face WBA mandatory challenger Alexander Povetkin on September 22nd at Wembley in London.
There is an offer on the table for Wilder to face Joshua on an April date in Wembley, but the WBC champ is not very pleased with the guarantee of $15 million.
Based on the facts of the current situation, Lewis believes Wilder is the only one making a real effort to get the deal done.
"Go order Eddie Hearn to make the fight with Deontay Wilder. Now is the moment when you must take charge of your own destiny. There is no question that it is Wilder who wants the fight and it is Wilder who wants to prove that he is the man in this new heavyweight era," Lewis told Jeff Powell of Daily Mail.
"He explained to me all the difficulties he is having with Anthony and Eddie, of how AJ is listening to Hearn. Deontay most definitely wants this fight more than any fight. Joshua said he would take fifty million dollars in a heart-beat but when that offer came he didn't accept. I would have taken fifty million quicker than a heart-beat and gone through with any fight. But I never ducked anyone.
"Bowe did everything he could to avoid fighting me but I forced the situation. I did so by ordering my manager Frank Maloney to go out and do whatever it took to make the fight. Yes or yes. No arguments. Then Riddick had to meet me or vacate. It comes to the point where the boxer has to take over from the manager or promoter as The Boss. Oscar De La Hoya and me were the first to take charge of our business. I took control of my destiny and opened up my chance for greatness. Anthony needs to do the same with Eddie."