"Everyone is going to want to see the undisputed fight, the winner against AJ"
Saturday 1 February 2020 09:36, UK
Anthony Joshua and the winner of Deontay Wilder vs Tyson Fury will face “so much pressure” to agree a fight that would crown the division’s king, according to promoter Eddie Hearn.
Wilder defends his WBC heavyweight title against Fury in a rematch on February 22 and Joshua is "close" to agreeing a defence of his IBF, WBA and WBO belts against Kubrat Pulev.
"I just think that whoever wins [Wilder vs Fury 2] and if AJ beats Pulev, which we hope he does, basically the whole world is going to say 'we have to see that fight,'" said Joshua's promoter Hearn.
"I think there will be so much pressure on both guys to make that fight.
"Unless Wilder-Fury 2 is a brilliant fight, no one is going to want to see the [third fight]. Everyone is going to want to see the undisputed fight, the winner against AJ.
"I'm hoping that we can manoeuvre something there. If not, we fight Oleksandr Usyk, if he beats Derek Chisora, and if Joshua beats Pulev."
Pulev (IBF) and Usyk (WBO) are the mandatory challengers to Joshua, and Wilder and Fury have pencilled in a third fight.
But Joshua is hoping to scupper those plans by agreeing an undisputed heavyweight championship fight for later in 2020.
Joshua told Sky Sports earlier this month: "We had a meeting about that. It has great potential. I heard [Wilder and Fury] have a third fight lined up towards the end of the year but we have to throw a curveball in there.
"Something that gets Wilder's attention providing he wins so that he thinks to himself: 'Even though I have a rematch clause, I'll see how I can manipulate my contract, get out of it, and fight for the undisputed championship'."
A "huge site offer" has been made by Saudi Arabia to host the undisputed title fight, if it is agreed, according to Hearn.
But Joshua's next fight against Pulev will "almost certainly" be a UK homecoming in late May or early June with the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, the Emirates Stadium, the Principality Stadium and Twickenham in the running to host.
Former undisputed cruiserweight champion Usyk, who made a successful heavyweight transition last year, is expected to face Chisora in the meantime.
"We're nearly there, it's a brilliant fight," Hearn said.
Ukraine's undefeated Usyk claimed he was ready to immediately face Joshua last year but is behind Pulev in the queue of challengers and would be risking his shot at the belts by first taking on Chisora in late March or early April.
"We know Usyk is a genius but he's stepping up to the big boys, and Chisora is on a great run of form," Hearn said.
"Chisora has just pole-axed Artur Szpilka in his last fight. He'll be winging them into Usyk.
"Usyk will out-box him, his feet will be much too good for Chisora. But Chisora can lean on him, sweat on him, sink those big haymakers over the top, work him on the inside.
"Fingers crossed, an announcement on Usyk vs Chisora coming soon."
Dillian Whyte, meanwhile, is in talks to face either Alexander Povetkin or Andy Ruiz Jr next.
"Whyte has got the best resume of a guy who has never fought for a world title by a country mile," Hearn said. "We want to make sure he gets that shot.
"I think it will probably be Povektin next for Whyte and I think it could be Ruiz straight after that.
"As always, he's throwing himself in at the deep end."
Elsewhere in the heavyweight division, Jarrell 'Big Baby' Miller is planning a comeback after signing with promoters Top Rank - he was withdrawn from fighting Joshua last year after failing drug tests. Unbeaten Brits Daniel Dubois and Joe Joyce are expected to meet. Joseph Parker plans to return on February 29 in Texas.
