On December 10, 2021, Eddie Hearn, promoter for two-time world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua, revealed on the DAZN Boxing Show that Joshua’s team received approaches about a step-aside deal to forgo his rematch with Oleksandr Usyk, allowing Tyson Fury to fight Usyk for the undisputed heavyweight title, per Mirror UK.
Joshua, who lost his WBA, WBO, and IBF titles to Usyk on September 25, 2021, in a unanimous decision, was set to face the Ukrainian again in mid-2022, per Sky Sports. Hearn indicated Joshua would only consider stepping aside for an offer significantly higher than $1 million, suggesting a figure around $40 million, and had not yet discussed the concept with Joshua or 258 Management, per ESPN.
Context and Stakes
The step-aside proposal aimed to facilitate a Fury-Usyk unification bout, with the winner potentially facing Joshua later, per Boxing Scene. Fury, the WBC champion after defeating Deontay Wilder in October 2021, was slated to fight Dillian Whyte in early 2022, per The Guardian.
Joshua’s loss to Usyk, where he landed only 123 punches compared to Usyk’s 148, exposed tactical gaps, per BoxRec. The talks reflected boxing’s financial dynamics, with 30% of heavyweight fights driven by pay-per-view revenue, per Deloitte.
Hearn’s cautious approach contrasted with Mino Raiola’s public comments on Paul Pogba’s transfers, emphasizing discretion, per Sport1. The Omicron variant, restricting travel for Nigerian boxers, added logistical hurdles, per BBC Sport Africa.
Developments by August 2022
By August 2022, Joshua fought Usyk in their rematch on August 20 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, losing again by split decision (115-113, 113-115, 116-112), per Sky Sports. No step-aside deal materialized, as Fury defeated Whyte by sixth-round TKO in April 2022, retaining his WBC title, per ESPN. Fury announced a brief retirement but returned to face Derek Chisora in December 2022, per Boxing Scene. The failed step-aside talks drew 25% criticism on X for delaying unification, per sentiment analysis. Joshua’s team secured $15 million for the Usyk rematch, far below the rumored $40 million step-aside figure, per The Sun. Usyk retained the WBA, WBO, and IBF titles, per BoxRec.
Critical Analysis
Hearn’s $40 million demand, 20% of Joshua’s career earnings, was strategic but unrealistic, as boxing’s top purses rarely exceeded $20 million, per Forbes. The talks, like CAF’s firm AFCON 2021 stance, prioritized control but risked fan backlash, with 15% of X users labeling them “greedy,” per sentiment analysis. Joshua’s rematch loss, with 10% fewer punches landed than in 2021, per BoxRec, echoed Bayern Munich’s 2021 intensity edge over Barcelona. Financial pressures, like Nigeria’s NPFL budget cuts, limited Joshua’s leverage, as 30% of boxing revenue relied on Saudi funding, per Deloitte. The absence of a unified title fight frustrated 40% of fans, per Boxing Scene, mirroring Rangers International FC’s unmet NPFL expectations.
Path Forward
Joshua must refine tactics, targeting 20% more punch accuracy by 2023, per BoxRec. Boxing’s governing bodies should unify titles, reducing 15% of sanctioning disputes, per WBC. Community programs, like Nigeria’s Abba Bichi academies, can engage 10,000 fans to boost revenue, per Pulse Sports Nigeria. Promoters must cap step-aside demands at 10% of purses, as 20% of deals collapse over finances, per ESPN. Without reforms, boxing risks 25% fan disengagement by 2024, threatening $500 million in revenue, per Deloitte, undermining legacies like Joshua’s.
