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Deontay Wilder\u2019s trainer Malik Scott has expressed his frustration over delays in getting a deal to fight Anthony Joshua across the line.<\/p>\n
Talks for the heavyweight rivals to finally meet in the ring have been ongoing since April. While all camps have expressed a desire to get the fight on, Joshua\u2019s promoter Eddie Hearn cast doubt on a proposed December date, complicated by what he described as \u2018a change of environment in Saudi Arabia with the operators in boxing\u2019.<\/p>\n
Joshua and Wilder have agreed terms to the fight but with no contract on the table, Hearn has suggested the Briton could seek an alternative opponent for the end of the year.<\/p>\n
The Matchroom chief also insisted they will explore different destinations should the Saudi deal not be finalised soon.<\/p>\n
\u2018Politically, it sounds like there\u2019s a lot going on,\u2019 Hearn said. \u2018It doesn\u2019t just have to happen in Saudi Arabia.<\/p>\n
\u2018There are now other talks about other countries that it could take place in. \u2026There is a movement of management and ownership of boxing in Saudi and it\u2019s up to them what they want to do. If they don\u2019t do Joshua-Wilder maybe it goes somewhere else.\u2019<\/p>\n
Former heavyweight contender Scott, who has been Wilder\u2019s trainer since 2021, is also open to the fight landing elsewhere but expressed his own frustrations with recent delays and Hearn\u2019s comments.<\/p>\n
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He told ESNews: \u2018It\u2019s a real frustrating frustration, because to me, out of everybody, Deontay is the one, as far as activity, is the one that misses out. It\u2019s a lot of promises, but it seems the promises are being broken a little bit. But we\u2019ll see.\u2019<\/p>\n
Joshua beat Jermaine Franklin in his first fight working with trainer Derrick James in April. A rematch with Dillian Whyte was called off in August with the former Olympian knocking out late stand-in Robert Helenius.<\/p>\n
\u2018He [Joshua] is just training away but he wants Wilder,\u2019 Hearn told BBC 5 Live Boxing.<\/p>\n
\u2018If it can\u2019t be made, he wants to stay active. If he fights in December, that\u2019ll be three fights in eight months which is incredible for him.<\/p>\n
\u2018There\u2019s Filip Hrgovic and there\u2019s Andy Ruiz Jr, but it probably won\u2019t take place in this country,\u201d added Hearn.<\/p>\n
\u2018He\u2019s had two now on the spin at The O2 Arena, so maybe we go to Madison Square Garden, somewhere in the Middle East. It\u2019s just about activity for him.\u2019<\/p>\n