ANTHONY JOSHUA’s long-awaited showdown with Deontay Wilder is set to be finalised in the next “three weeks”.
Former two-time heavyweight champion Joshua began targeting a long-overdue grudge match with The Bronze Bomber before kicking off his career rebuild with a scrappy win over Jermaine Franklin in April.
GettyAnthony Joshua preserved his chances of a big-money showdown with Deontay Wilder with a big KO of Robert Helenius earlier this month[/caption]
Negotiations over the grudge match are currently ongoingGETTY
GettyAJ promoter Eddie Hearn expects them to be finalised in ‘two or three weeks’[/caption]
Talks over the lucrative Saudi showdown heated up before the Watford warrior’s brutal seventh-round KO of Robert Helenius earlier this month and have since continued.
And AJ promoter Eddie Hearn expects them to come to a head imminently, telling Fight Hub TV when asked for a timeline: “Two or three weeks.”
Matchroom Boxing chief Hearn added: “I’ve been to Saudi Arabia twice to negotiate this fight.
“I’ve had two meetings, three meetings in London.
“I’m not doing it for banter. My instructions from Anthony Joshua [are] ‘I want to fight Deontay Wilder.’
“The only way this fight doesn’t happen is if Saudi doesn’t deliver the fight.
“[Wilder manager] Shelly Finkel, Wilder, as far as I’m hearing from them directly, they are in. We are in.
“We just need to sign a contract and go through the procedures to get that done.”
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Joshua and Wilder, 33 and 37 respectively, were on a collision course in 2018 when they held all the heavyweight titles but the mouthwatering fight didn’t come to fruition.
Their long-overdue clash is currently being targeted for January, although Hearn admits AJ could be back in the ring in December should the fight fall through.
Hearn said: “If it doesn’t happen, I think he’ll (Joshua) fight in December.
“But I’m not spinning that fight. All of our efforts have been for that fight.
GETTYAnthony Joshua will be back in the ring in December if his fight with Deontay Wilder falls through[/caption]
“Honestly I wouldn’t waste my time flying all around the world trying to pretend that that’s the fight we want.
“That is the fight we want.
“It’s a massive fight, massive money, and that is what I have been instructed to deliver for AJ.”
He added: “We are positive. Like I said, we are in. If it can be delivered, we are in.”