Thursday 29 March 2018 18:56, UK
Anthony Joshua will have the final say on a potential world title fight with Alexander Povetkin, despite plans for a multi-million pound bout in Russia.
The Russian heavyweight has been confirmed as the WBA's mandatory challenger for Joshua, but must firstly overcome David Price on the same bill in Cardiff this Saturday night, live on Sky Sports Box Office.
Promoter Eddie Hearn is tentatively mapping out plans for Joshua ahead of his unification clash with Joseph Parker in the main event at the Principality Stadium, and insists he could tempt Povetkin back to Britain.
"Joshua will have to fight Povetkin at some point in 2018," Hearn told Sky Sports.
"Everything is about money. But we can generate a lot of money in the UK."
They've made it clear they would want to fight [in the UK]. The funding and backing that was initially there, isn't there anymore.
"They've made it clear they would want to fight [in the UK]. The funding and backing that was initially there, isn't there anymore."
Povetkin's promoters, World of Boxing, was founded by Andrey Ryabinsky, a Russian entrepreneur.
Vadim Kornilov, who now heads the promotion, told Sky Sports that a fight in Russia would be of similar importance to Joshua's clash this weekend in Cardiff.
"I think it would be comparable," he said. "[Wladimir] Klitschko was paid almost £20m to fight Povetkin so anything can be generated. This has that type of magnitude.
"It would, depending on the timing, fill up the new [81,000 seater] Luzhniki Stadium - a football stadium. That's a location with enough magnitude for this type of fight.
"It would be a huge fight in Russia but, after speaking to Eddie, it would be a huge fight in [the UK] too because there is a big Russian community. Anywhere is a possibility."
Joshua, should he add Parker's WBO belt to his IBF and WBA titles, stands on the cusp of an undisputed world heavyweight title fight against Deontay Wilder but, if they cannot be agreed, then Povetkin could be "enforced".
"[Joshua vs Povetkin] is supposed to be the next fight. It should be," WBA president Gilberto Mendoza told Sky Sports.
I can't close the doors but we will try to enforce [Povetkin] as much as we can, because we feel that's a good fight
"You also have to understand that Joshua is big for the sport, and we would have to think about a unification fight, but regularly Povetkin should be his next opponent.
"I can't close the doors but we will try to enforce [Povetkin] as much as we can, because we feel that's a good fight.
"There are always special circumstances that mean you must look fight-by-fight. But Povetkin was already rated, he has spoken to [promoter Hearn]. The styles of Joshua and Povetkin would make a good fight in England or Russia."
Povetkin's promoters claimed a fight with Joshua before the end of 2018 was "definitely the goal for everybody", which the WBA's Mendoza agreed with.
"Any unification can delay a mandatory," Povetkin's promoter Kornilov said. "Joshua-Wilder would be a priority but we don't know if it will happen so, after Saturday, we are focused on our mandatory fight between Joshua and Povetkin."
Hearn concluded: "I think it's likelier [Joshua fights] in America or another territory. But it's hard to leave the UK because of what we're producing. This is his third stadium fight in 11 months so, at some point, we have to relieve the pressure."
