A unification fight between heavyweight boxing's two kingpins is off and Deontay Wilder's camp is outraged.
The WBA has ordered Brit Anthony Joshua to defend his heavyweight title against Alexander Povetkin later this year, as negotiations for a mega-fight with Wilder stalled.
The WBA has grown increasingly frustrated with the lack of progress in booking a unification fight, so stepped in on Tuesday (local time), handing Joshua's camp a 24-hour deadline.
World Boxing News reports Joshua's promoter, Eddie Hearn, has succumbed to the pressure and informed the American there will be no unification fight in 2018.
Wilder's manager, Shelly Finkel, told World Boxing News they are in disbelief, after WBC champion Wilder agreed to terms with Hearn two weeks ago.
"The fact is they didn't want this fight," Finkel said. "He asked for US$50 million dollars, never thinking we'd come up with it.
"When we came up with it, he said, 'I don't want to fight in the United States, I'll take it for less in the UK'.
"He sent us a bull*** offer, thinking we'll never take it... and we took it.
"Then they said, 'What do we do now? Let's send them a contract'.
"Except, the contract doesn't have when the fight will be or where it will be.
"But today I get a letter saying, 'We're not going to fight you next, but we'll fight you the fight after that... and it will be April 13 at Wembley Stadium.
"So basically, he can tell me next year, but he can't tell me a date for this year."
Joshua, who holds three of the four major world belts - the IBF, WBA (Super) and WBO - had been given extra time by the WBA to schedule a fight with Wilder.
WBA president Gilberto Mendoza said they had to force Hearn's hand.
"Today, the WBA requested an answer from Anthony Joshua's team regarding his fight with the mandatory challenger Alexander Povetkin," Mendoza said in a statement.
"The WBA have allowed over a month extension to negotiations with Povetkin and also ongoing discussions with Deontay Wilder, therefore we are requesting a date for the Joshua versus Povetkin fight with immediate effect."
Newshub.
