"There has been an offer" - Eddie Hearn confirms a step-aside deal is on the table for Anthony Joshua
Anthony Joshua's promoter Eddie Hearn has confirmed that 'AJ' has been offered money to step aside so that the Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk fight can occur.
The boxing world has been rife with talk that the former two-time Heavyweight champion will step aside so the aforementioned bout can occur. Joshua previously activated a rematch clause he had with Usyk following their September 2021 showdown.
'AJ' was a massive favorite heading into his fight with the Ukrainian in their first fight. However, the champion lost his title following a 12 round destruction at the hands of Usyk. While all signs point to an imminent rematch, that may no longer be the case.
Tyson Fury has blasted the former two-time champion for not accepting a step-aside deal. Despite 'AJ' stating that he had no intentions of stepping aside, his promoter Eddie Hearn has officially confirmed that an offer has been made. Going on The DAZN Boxing Show, the head of Matchroom Boxing stated that the rumors were indeed true. Hearn said:
"There has been an offer. There's been several discussions with myself. I don't rule it out, I can't rule it out. It's not my job, AJ's the boss. He will rule it out or not rule it out. He'll have an intelligent conversation, he's very smart about the plan."
Hearn continued, and noted that he doesn't believe that Joshua will want to step aside.
"Anthony has never ducked anyone. So, he won't want to even let one person that he's ducking that challenge. That's not what he's about. But sometimes, you have to think with your head, rather than your c***."
Watch Eddie Hearn on the DAZN Boxing Show below:
🗣 'There has been an offer, I can't rule it out, AJ is the boss he will rule it out or not.'
Should Joshua take the step-aside money? 🤔 https://t.co/nD1FoZumjI
Anthony Joshua was supposed to face Oleksander Usyk in April
Anthony Joshua lost his WBA (Super), IBF, WBO, and IBO heavyweight titles last September to Oleksandr Usyk. The former cruiserweight champion entered the fight as an underdog, but shocked the boxing world by dominating 'AJ' in front of his home country in London.
Following the loss, Anthony Joshua quickly activated a rematch clause with the Ukrainian and was expected to face off against him in April. However, Joshua left his trainer Rob McCracken following the Usyk defeat, and has been looking for a trainer ever since.
It's the lack of a trainer which led to the controversy on whether 'AJ' will step aside or not. As of now, it's yet to be confirmed who will be training for the 32-year-old for his next outing in the ring.
It also remains to be seen if Joshua will indeed face off with Usyk for a second time later this year. While no details have been announced, fans of the former two-time heavyweight champion can expect details of his next move in the coming days.