ANTHONY JOSHUA was secretly approached about leaving Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom empire, according to the British promoter.
The revelation comes just days after Conor Benn stunned boxing by accepting a $15million (£11.7m) one-fight deal with Dana White’s Zuffa Boxing promotion.
Benn’s decision ended a ten-year relationship with Hearn and Matchroom, sending shockwaves through the sport.
The promoter has admitted he was bitterly disappointed by the move as White pushes aggressively into boxing.
But Hearn has now revealed that Joshua was also targeted behind the scenes.
Although Hearn did not confirm who made the approach, many believe it came from White and Zuffa Boxing.
Unlike Benn, the former heavyweight champion quickly alerted his long-time promoter.
Speaking to combat sports reporter Ariel Helwani, Hearn said Joshua immediately sent him a screenshot of the message.
Hearn said: “He won’t want me saying it but AJ had an approach around the back a couple of weeks ago.
“Do you know how quickly he sent me the screenshot? Seconds.
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“He said: ‘Let me know what you want to reply.’ We are a team. Until the wheels come off, we are a team.”
Joshua and Hearn have worked together since AJ turned professional in 2013 after winning Olympic gold at London 2012.
Together they built one of the most successful partnerships in modern boxing, with Joshua becoming a two-time unified heavyweight champion and selling out stadiums.
White’s Zuffa Boxing project aims to dominate the sport, leading to frequent clashes with Hearn.
This has intensified since White’s move into boxing, most notably over the Conor Benn signing.
However, Hearn managed to land a counter-punch of his own to the Zuffa deal.
Last week, UFC heavyweight Tom Aspinall, 32, became the first signing to Matchroom’s new Talent Agency.
The British star remains under a fight contract with the UFC, but Hearn will now manage his commercial opportunities.
As for the boxing stable itself, Joshua remains the cornerstone of Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing, having already signed a lifetime contract with the company.
The 36-year-old was involved in a fatal car accident in Nigeria on December 29, just ten days after knocking out YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul in Miami.
AJ survived the wreck but the tragedy claimed the lives of two very close friends in personal trainer Kevin “Latz” Ayodele and long-time recovery therapist Sina Ghami.
AJ is one of boxing’s biggest commercial attractions and is expected to return to the ring this summer.
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