By Norm Frauenheim-
LOS ANGELES — Anthony Joshua promoter Eddie Hearn is confident a Joshua-Deontay Wilder fight for the undisputed heavyweight title can happen in 2018 if Joshua beats challenger Joseph Parker on March 31.
Hearn talked about the Joshua-Wilder possibility Thursday after a news conference with his UK featherweight, Scott Quigg, for Saturday’s ESPN’s bout with WBO champion Oscar Valdez Jr. at StubHub Center in Carson, Calif.
“The Wilder fight is the one,’’ Hearn said. “It’s the biggest fight in world boxing.’’
Hearn said there is no uncertainty about whether Joshua-Wilder would happen. He called the fight “inevitable.’’ But there are still questions about when. First, Joshua, the IBF and WBA champion, has to beat Parker, the WBO champ, at the end of this month in Cardiff, Wales.
If Joshua — a prohibitive favorite – wins as expected, Hearn says he then will consider a couple options. Before Wilder retained the WBC version of the heavyweight title with a stoppage of Luis Ortiz Saturday, there had been talk about Joshua making U.S. debut against Jarrell “Big Baby” Miller in August.
“Options are that we go in August against someone and then Deontay Wilder, or straight on to Wilder,’’ said Hearn, who said the Showtime ratings (peak audience 1.2 million/average 1.1) for Wilder-Ortiz were good. “But if we do Wilder, it probably will be October, November December.’’
