Promoter Eddie Hearn says he's confident a deal can be reached for a world heavyweight boxing title unification bout between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua before the end of this year.
WBA, IBF and WBO champion Joshua faces Kubrat Pulev on June 20th while Fury is likely to take on Deontay Wilder in a trilogy fight for the WBC title this summer after the American indicated he will exercise his rematch clause.
Hearn says negotiations are well underway to set to an all British bout if Fury and Joshua come through those challenges:
"Myself and Bob Arum 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," he told the Press Association.
"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 20 June, they're going to fight, I believe, on 18 July. 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."
