Friday 1 June 2018 16:47, UK
Dillian Whyte could still go to Bulgaria to face Kubrat Pulev even if he won't be "jumping through hoops", says promoter Eddie Hearn.
The London heavyweight and his team are in negotiations to meet Pulev in an IBF final-eliminator, which will see the winner become Anthony Joshua's mandatory challenger.
The Bulgarian this week said he is "95 per cent sure" the fight will take place in his country and even though Whyte has been pencilled in for a fight in London, on July 28, Hearn is still trying to work with the purse bid winners, Epic Sports and Entertainment, to make it happen.
Dillian is training for the end of July, but if he's fighting Pulev in August or September, that's not going to happen. We will have to see but now all eyes are on Pulev and working with Epic to try and make that happen
The promoter is waiting for the winning funds to be deposited with the IBF and contracts to "come through" but even if they have to travel, he hasn't ruled out it taking place in "August or September".
"We have been talking to Epic about some different opportunities to work together on the fight and at the moment, we are all systems go for that fight," he exclusively told Sky Sports.
"We have also got the opportunity for the WBC to fight (Luis) Ortiz for a final eliminator but at the moment, we are just proceeding with the Pulev fight.
"It depends on what they want to do. If they want to take it to Bulgaria, I can't say we will be jumping through hoops but it doesn't mean we won't go.
"But with the amount of money that Epic have bid, unless they've done a side deal with Pulev - which we don't know - I don't think they can do the fight there without haemorrhaging a huge amount of money.
"We will have to see. We have to make a decision by Monday on what we are going to do about July 28. Can we still bring Pulev to the UK for that fight? I am not sure."
"Dillian is training for the end of July, but if he's fighting Pulev in August or September, that's not going to happen. We will have to see but now all eyes are on Pulev and working with Epic to try and make that happen."
Epic Sports and Entertainment's winning purse bid was reported at $1,500,111, but with Whyte on a 25 per cent cut in comparison to Pulev's 75 per cent, Hearn was "not surprised" and is already looking at Ortiz as another option.
The Cuban lost to Deontay Wilder in February and has been replaced by former Joshua victim Dominic Breazeal as his WBC mandatory challenger, but remains a target for No 1 challenger Whyte, as long as certain stipulations are in place.
"Ortiz has done it before of course, and he'd want a lot of money but if we are guaranteed to be the WBC mandatory, not the second mandatory or whatever people have been talking about, Dillian would jump into that fight straight away," said Hearn.
"He has absolutely no fear about fighting anyone, so Ortiz is a much tougher fight than Pulev but a great fight and one that I think will really capture people's attention.
"Sometimes when you're No1 or No 2 with all governing bodies, these times are the most frustrating because you've got there and then it just doesn't happen overnight.
"Unless you're an easy fight for someone, you don't get the shots as quick as you'd like and Dillian is definitely not an easy fight for anyone."
Watch Luke Watkings vs Lawrence Okolie, as well as Reece Bellotti, Daniyar Yeleussinov, Ted Cheeseman and Felix Cash, on JD NXTGEN, from York Hall, on June 6, live on Sky Sports Action.
