Team Parker ‘pretty much given up’ on Anthony Joshua negotiations

David Higgins, the promoter for WBO heavyweight titlist Joseph Parker, says talks for a potential unification with Anthony Joshua have been so poor that he feels he’s been trolled by Eddie Hearn with offers for the fight.

"I got this weird email from Eddie's email address, but he must have been hacked," Higgins exclusively told Sky Sports. "He made the most ridiculously low offer. It could have been the most insulting offer in boxing history.”

Higgins went on to mention that he didn’t respond to Hearn’s low offer because he thinks it couldn’t have really come from Hearn, whom he says respects the box, and stands firm that nothing short of a 40% split for Parker would be justifiable for a unification match. Hearn obviously wouldn’t be inclined agree with that point, though, as Joshua is clearly the much bigger star who puts butts in the seats.

So Higgins appears to be calling Hearn’s bluff, stating that should they not get the 40% split they’re looking for, that they’ll simply turn their attention to Deontay Wilder later on down the line.

"I'll give you a simple answer. They pay us 40 per cent and not a cent less, or they will fight Wilder, who will obviously win and then we'll fight Wilder 50-50," said Higgins. "If they want to go fight Wilder, they can, and then we'll fight Wilder on a 50-50 basis later in the year, once he has all three belts.

"We have got several fights on the table and I tell you this, we have pretty much given up on Joshua. Assuming someone hacked his email, I apologise to Eddie, and he's welcome to give me a call. He's got my number if he wants to actually make a respectable offer.”

If I was Higgins I wouldn’t be holding my breath waiting on that phone call...