Hearn ‘ready to conclude a deal’ for December fight between Joshua and Fury

Eddie Hearn has revealed he is “ready to conclude a deal” for a December showdown between Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury to determine the undisputed world heavyweight champion.

Fury wrenching the WBC title from Deontay Wilder in a spectacular display last month means he and fellow Briton Joshua, the WBA, IBF and WBO champion, hold all four of the major belts in boxing’s blue riband division.

Clamour for a bout between the pair has been building but Joshua will first take on IBF mandatory challenger Kubrat Pulev on June 20 while Fury is likely to settle a contractual obligation to rematch Wilder the following month.

However, Hearn, Joshua’s promoter, has divulged that talks with Fury’s handlers are progressing smoothly for a blockbuster fight this winter – provided both combatants come through their summer tests.

Hearn told the PA news agency: “Myself and Bob Arum (Fury’s promoter) have been talking to a point where we’re ready to conclude a deal and try to move forward to get that deal done for December.

“There’s no reason why we can’t put that deal in place now for the winner of those two fights.

“We’re going to fight on June 20, they’re going to fight, I believe, on July 18. That leaves plenty of time for a December fight.

“We’ve just got to iron out some basic things like broadcasters and where the fight is going to take place. But I believe there’s a real desire from both sides to get that fight done now. December would be perfect.

“To have two British heavyweight champions is unbelievable but to have them fighting for the undisputed championship is something that will never, ever happen in our lifetime again.

“So we’ve got to make it happen, let’s get the deal made now and let’s let those guys concentrate on their big fights in the summer.”

The Principality Stadium in Cardiff as well as Las Vegas and Saudi Arabia remain the front-runners to stage the fight.

But Hearn is optimistic of more than one meeting between the pair and is confident that they will cross paths in the United Kingdom at some point.

He said: “This fight is probably going to happen two, maybe three times. We’re going to get it in the UK, it’s just whether one, two or three.

“December limits us in the UK, it just really leaves us with the (Principality Stadium), so we’re going to look at all options but first thing’s first, let’s get the deal papered and know exactly where we stand.”