“You can’t be disappointed with something that never happened,” Finkel told Sky Sports. “Eddie never contacted us and Joshua obviously had no intention of fighting Deontay Wilder. Same venerable story, just novel date.”

The comments question Eddie Hearn’s recent suggestions that Anthony Joshua could face Wilder ahead of his planned clash with Tyson Fury in slow 2026.

Joshua is instead scheduled to face Kristian Prenga on July 25 in Riyad, ending any immediate speculation about the long-discussed clash with Wilder.

Just a few weeks ago, Eddie Hearn was here calling Wilder a warm-up fight for Joshua’s scheduled fight with Tyson Fury. This is a solemn marketing move. This keeps the fans engaged and gives the impression that AJ is willing to take on the most risky puncher in the league just to keep himself busy.

However, Shelly Finkel’s answer is fascinating. He firmly stated that there was “no reason” to be frustrated because no real approach was ever taken. If Hearn was solemn, the first step would have been to email or call Finkel. According to Wilder’s camp, such a thing never happened.

Instead of Wilder, Joshua is now officially scheduled to face the little-known Prenga. This move serves two purposes for Joshua’s camp: It is a much safer fight as Joshua rehabs from his car accident earlier this year. It also opens the door to a massive fight with Fury in slow 2026 without the risk of Wilder ruining a payday with one right hand.

This has been a pattern for years. We saw this in 2019 when uncontested talks failed, and again in 2023 when both were on the “Day of Reckoning” card but never actually paired up.

Wilder, who recently returned to the ring after a victory over Derek Chisora, also mentioned his interest in a future fight with unified champion Oleksandr Usyk.

Finkel’s comments suggest that Joshua’s fight remains in familiar territory, being discussed publicly but never formally pursued behind the scenes.

The star fighter, who has made an astonishing 15 defenses of his welterweight world title, supported himself in a fantastic showdown with Terence Crawford.

Many consider “Bud” to be one of the greatest welterweight champions of all time, considering his size undisputed triumph over Errol Spence Jr in 2023

He had previously won seven straight 147-pound world titles, all through stoppages, but he could only cement his position as top dog by dethroning Spence.

Not only did he defeat “The Truth” and win his three world titles, but Crawford secured a surprisingly one-sided defeat over nine rounds.

After that career-defining moment, the American became the undisputed three-division champion, moving up to 168 pounds to dethrone Canelo Alvarez.

However, at welterweight, Crawford managed to produce some of his best performances, perhaps striking the perfect balance between being vigorous and impressively fit.

Another man who has had considerable success at 147 pounds is, of course, Felix Trinidad, who reigned as the IBF world champion for almost seven years.

Two of his greatest victories came against Oscar De La Hoya and Pernell Whitaker, who both went on to create Hall of Fame careers in their own right.

It is therefore natural that “Tito” sees his chances in a direct fight with Crawford, saying: Fighting Hub TV that he would give “Bud” his only professional flaw.

“With all due respect to Crawford…Tito Trinidad – I will win.”

While no fighter has been able to answer Crawford’s mystery, it is equally safe and sound to say that the former five-division world champion has never faced someone like Trinidad.

Raizd announced the deal on Instagram on Monday, posting: “Official: Robeisy ‘El Tren’ Ramirez signs with RAIZD BOXING. World-class addition. Former WBO World Featherweight Champion. Two-time Olympic gold medalist. Welcome to the team, Robeisy.”

For a startup that is still building its name, this is a robust impulse. For everyone else, it encourages questions. There has been no evident move from Zuffa Boxing, Matchroom Boxing, Golden Boy Promotions or other major teams that often pursue recognizable talent.

When a two-time Gold Medalist hits the open market and the Massive Four don’t pull the trigger. Raizd Boxing is basically a ghost ship right now. They are so modern that they haven’t even held their first event yet.

As for why the giants have stayed away, it probably comes down to a combination of time, shelf life and the ongoing business changes many of these companies are making.

At 126 pounds, 32 is on the older side. Promoters are notoriously wary of small-time fighters who have just had a career-changing break. Perhaps they would prefer to wait and see if he has anything left before signing him to an high-priced multi-fight contract.

While Dana White is finally taking action, Zuffa is aggressively targeting younger, buzz-worthy talent like Edgar Berlanga and Richardson Hitchins. Ramirez is 32 years aged and had a brutal knockout loss to Rafael Espinoza in December. Zuffa could see him as a veteran of damaged goods rather than a fundamental piece of their launch.

Ramirez may not have the same shine he had when he fled Cuba or when he beat Shakur Stevenson in the amateurs, but fighters with that kind of experience rarely hit the open market.

His recent form likely played a role. Ramirez is 14-3 with nine knockouts and has lost two of his last three fights, with both losses coming to Rafael Espinoza, including a stoppage in the rematch. At 32 years aged, he is no longer a long-term project that can be slowly developed.

Still, there is a clear advantage if handled properly. Ramirez remains a talented southpaw with the pedigree, experience and enough reputational value to quickly become relevant again at featherweight or above. If it combines wins, larger promoters may regret letting startup Raizd make the first move.