Anthony Joshua's promoter Eddie Hearn revealed when a fight with WBO heavyweight champion Joseph Parker could be made a done deal.
Hearn spoke with Sky Sports News and revealed that Parker is the favorite to be the unified heavyweight champion's next fight, but said the fight should be made official within two weeks before opting to look elsewhere. Other fighters that are Hearn's radar to be Joshua's first opponent in 2018 are Dillian Whyte and Jarrell Miller.
"We may look at a WBA mandatory, Dillian Whyte or going to the States to fight Jarrell Miller. There are options but the aim is to become the undisputed world heavyweight champion. Parker is the frontrunner, he's the guy we want. But we can't be in a position where this goes on for three weeks then falls through. We've got two weeks until we need to start making offers to other fighters, apart from Parker. There is no deadline but we want to fight at the end of March or the first week of April. [Parker], you are only one phone call away from a completed deal."
About a month ago, WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder was being pegged to be Joshua's next opponent in what could be one of the biggest heavyweight fights in recent memory, but talks between both parties have gone sour, prolonging the potential unification fight.
Parker has emerged in recent weeks as Joshua's potential next opponent as that fight would also be a unification fight. Parker recently fought in the United Kingdom, retaining his title against mandatory challenger Hughie Fury. Parker and his camp recently said they would be willing to take as little as 35 percent of the fight profits in order to make Joshua vs. Parker a reality. Joshua recently retained his titles against Carlos Takam in Cardiff, Wales, winning the October bout via ninth-round TKO.
