Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn has insisted that he is "confident" of the prospect of seeing Anthony Joshua face Wladimir Klitschko later this year.
The IBF world heavyweight champion was set for a November showdown with mandatory challenger Joseph Parker, who defeated Alexander Dimitrenko inside three rounds on Saturday evening.
Hearn has already revealed that Joshua is open to taking on Klitschko, however, having seen Tyson Fury pull out of a fight on two separate occasions due to unconfirmed reasons, and now a mouth-watering bout appears to have moved another step closer.
"Percentage wise, I think it's 60-40 yes, something like that. Klitschko wants the fight, AJ wants the fight. That's always a great sign," he told Sky Sports News. "For Klitschko, sometimes it's not necessarily about the money. It's little things of principle.
"He's made plenty of money and half a million to him doesn't mean a row of beans but something in the contract might be very important to him away from home. I'm confident and I think it's the fight to make. Boxing is all about timing. Charles Martin came up and it was before our time.
"Now we've got Klitschko before Joshua's time. It's one or two fights before the plan but it's here and available. I always say to Joshua: 'You'll tell me. If you can beat Klitschko then we've got to take the fight.' He says to make the fight. He's so relaxed and will fight anyone. It's a huge fight and it's going to be the biggest fight in British boxing history, I think."
Hearn also stated last week that he expects Fury to be stripped of his world titles unless a valid reason is given for his absence from the ring.
Daniel Lewis
