The promoter of British boxer Anthony Joshua has made a jibe at Joseph Parker's promoter David Higgins but believes progress is being made for a unification fight with the Kiwi heavyweight.
Anthony Joshua promoter Eddie Hearn. Photo: Photosport
In what has been described as a bizzare press conference by some pundits, Duco Events boss Higgins made a further push to get the fight between the two world champions across the line in Auckland on Wednesday.
Higgins stated they would not accept anything less than a 35 per cent cut of the fight's revenue and said they believed Joshua had a glass jaw, following those statements with a video montage of the English superstar being rocked or floored in the ring.
Sections of the British media described the move as embarrassing and amateur and while Hearn appeared to agree, he did offer cause for optimism for the Parker camp.
"You've got to love this David Higgins - he is absolutely off his swede," Hearn told Sky Sports UK.
"We are getting closer on a deal, but holding a press conference in a broom cupboard with a promotional video that looks like it's been done by my eight-year-old daughter is not the one, in terms of justifying your commercial value.
"Negotiations are ongoing and we are hoping a deal can be reached."
Hearn has been questioning the value Parker would bring to a fight and promotion with fellow undefeated fighter Joshua for several months.
Joshua has a 20-record with 20 knockouts and holds two of the four major heavyweight world title belts (WBA and IBF).
The 28-year-old is a box-office hit in the UK, selling out stadiums in hours and generating significant pay-per-view revenues.
Parkers, 25, is 24-0 with 18 knockouts and holds the WBO belt, but is not yet the commerical cash-cow Joshua has become.
However, Higgins did claim, unlike Joshua, Parker has never been stumbled or knocked down in a fight or sparring and the pair even offered 10,000 pounds each (NZ$39,000 total) for anyone who could prove otherwise.
Higgins also did not appear fazed by Hearn's criticism of their latest press conference.
"If you actually watched the press conference, what we said was correct, serious, and pure fact," Higgins told Sky Sports UK.
"What Eddie should be worried about it is Joshua's chin, not our press conference. It's pathetic.
"Parker is unbeaten, he's a world champion, and he deserves 35 per cent. They will pay us 35 per cent and not one per cent less, or we'll take another fight, and we might lose, and they might fight [WBC champion Deontay] Wilder. So be the case.
"But I tell you this, Joseph Parker, his family, the trainer and me, we are united and we are adamant that's the deal. Let's make the fight."
