Eddie Hearn, who promotes WBC, WBA, IBF, IBO heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua (21-0, 20 KOs), is hoping to finalize his boxer's next fight in two week's time.
The two main players are WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder and WBA mandatory challenger Alexander Povetkin.
Hearn is currently negotiating with both parties.
The discussions with Team Wilder have hit a brick wall - over the exact site location.
Joshua is very firm on having he contest take place in the UK, while Wilder wants the event in the United States.
Wilder's handlers have offered Joshua a massive guarantee of $50 million to hold the fight in America.
But, Joshua is willing to take pay cut in order to have the contest on UK soil.
Povetkin has no problem with fight in the UK - under the right terms. His last fight, back in March, was on the undercard of Joshua's unification with Joseph Parker in Cardiff. Povetking scored a brutal knockout of Olympic bronze medal winner David Price.
"We are probably about two weeks away from a decision on AJ's next fight. September has been earmarked for his return and all focus remains on Deontay Wilder," Hearn told Daily Mail.
"AJ and the team believe that after everything that's been built here, the UK should be the home of this historic undisputed bout and conversations continue with the Wilder camp.
"Povetkin is the likely choice if Wilder refuses to travel. Povetkin is the WBA mandatory so both fights are extremely dangerous. A Wilder fight in the US stands as Joshua's most lucrative option, but he is willing to accept a lesser payday for home advantage."
If a deal between Wilder and Joshua is not reached, then the WBC champ is likely going to make a mandatory title defense against Dominic Breazeale. Wilder and Breazeale were involved in a physical altercation at a hotel in 2017.
2023-10-21 03:24:51
