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Anthony Joshua hasn’t fought since beating Finnish fighter Robert Helenius
Tyson Fury will fight Oleksandr Usyk after facing Francis Ngannou in Riyadh
Both fights will reportedly take place on the same evening in Saudi Arabia
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Anthony Joshua lines up Deontay Wilder as one half of a blockbuster double bill in Saudi Arabia that will also feature Tyson Fury’s undisputed heavyweight showdown against Oleksandr Usyk.
Joshua revealed the mega-match could take place as soon as March next year – although he plans to fight in London before then in December.
Fury, meanwhile, will fight former UFC world heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou in the Saudi capital Riyadh on Saturday. A deal has already been agreed to meet Usyk at the same location in the Middle East.
Speaking at the US Grand Prix in Austin, after acquiring a stake in the Alpine Formula One team, Joshua said: ‘They want to put Usyk v Fury and Joshua v Wilder on the same night.
‘If Fury gets through Ngannou it will be at the end of October, in November, so I doubt he will prepare for Usyk and then fight in December.
Anthony Joshua brutally knocked out Finnish fighter Robert Helenius in his most recent fight
Deontay Wilder’s last fight was also against the great Finn, winning by knockout in the first round
Tyson Fury and Wilder fought a brilliant trilogy, with the ‘Gypsy King’ winning by knockout late on
‘It is too short. So the next window will be in March or April and that is when the uncontested fight will take place. What we hear is that they want to make it a mega card.’
After two defeats to Usyk, Joshua got back on track to meet former WBC belt holder Wilder by knocking out Finn Robert Helenius in the seventh round at London’s O2 Arena in August.
Joshua, 34, has not yet confirmed who he will fight in December but said: ‘It will be in London, probably at the 02 or Wembley Arena.
“It won’t be a championship fighter – that’s Usyk and Fury. It won’t be any of them and I’m not so sure about the situation with Wilder.’
Although the prospect of Joshua facing the American has been in the offing for years, nothing has come of it yet.
‘Why not?
“It feels like a land grab,” reasoned Joshua, who has just returned from a four-day health retreat in total darkness.
“Some fighters want to maximize their earnings. When I first started, you start, you build your record, you fight, and then you fight the big fights.
“But it’s like, ‘Where can we get the most money for the fight?’ And they want to go to Saudi Arabia, so they are waiting for the uncontested battle.”
Oleksandr Usyk currently holds three heavyweight belts belonging to the IBF, WBA and WBO
Tyson Fury is ready for a fight against former UFC champion Francis Ngannou in Saudi Arabia