Eddie Hearn explains awkward Anthony Joshua cameo at press conference after spiky response
16/11/2023 17:32
Eddie Hearn has explained to talkSPORT why Anthony Joshua came across a bit prickly during a heated press conference on Wednesday.
AJ responded awkwardly to Frank Warren’s press conference host Dev Sahni during Wednesday’s press conference to preview a huge show on December 23, which will see Joshua fight Otto Wallin on the same night as Deontay Wilder meets Joseph Parker in Saudi Arabia.
And at the event, Joshua did not appear to be happy at sitting next to him, barely being able to disguise his feelings.
After being asked one question by Sahni, AJ responded by turning away and asking: “Why isn’t Eddie Hearn asking me questions?”
Speaking to talkSPORT’s Gareth A. Davies and Spencer Oliver, AJ’s promoter Hearn tried to explain his client’s spiky demeanour.
When asked why did Joshua turn to him, Hearn told talkSPORT: “Maybe out of respect, I don’t know. Listen, I came to this party late ten days ago.
“I am happy to be here. There are going to be big fights that we are all involved with in Saudi Arabia.
“I guess for AJ, it was like ‘this is my promoter, he’s asking the question’.
“He was fine, AJ, but when Jarrell Miller started talking smack to him, he weren’t going to have it.
“Because we know what happened in that fight. I had a few words with him, was petrified a bit albeit, he’s a big lump.
“I am not mad on that fight against Daniel Dubois, in all honesty, it is a very good fight.
“There is a lot of history there, it was very painful what happened [between Joshua and Miller] and we will see what the future holds but I like what I saw from AJ and in the head-to-head with Wallin.”
Despite Joshua and Miller fighting different boxers, it did not take long before they were at each other’s throats verbally.
The two had been scheduled to fight in 2019 but Big Baby failed three drugs tests, resulting in him being banned and Andy Ruiz Jr stepping up in his place.
That would lead to one of the biggest upsets in recent heavyweight boxing when Ruiz claimed a famous victory over AJ, claiming his IBF, WBO, and IBO titles in the process and ending Joshua’s unbeaten streak.
With two further losses on his repertoire, Joshua is now looking to repair his reputation with wins over Jeremie Franklin and Robert Helenius.
He will face Swedish fighter Wallin on a mega boxing card including Wilder, Parker, Miller and Dubois on 23 December.
