Eddie Hearn confirms ‘a lot of talks’ have taken place for Anthony Joshua to fight Wilder next

Eddie Hearn has confirmed ‘a lot of talks’ have taken place for Anthony Joshua to fight Deontay Wilder in his next fight.

It comes as Dillian Whyte also eyes up fighting Joshua with the Body Snatcher continuing to publicly call out the British boxer for a rematch seven years on from his loss. 

Joshua’s promoter Hearn revealed that talks are progressing well with Wilder’s manager Shelly Finkel which could see Joshua could face the Bronze Bomber as early as March.

Anthony Joshua has not fought since his loss to Oleksandr Usyk in August but is eager to return

Eddie Hearn has confirmed ‘a lot of talks’ have taken place for Joshua to fight Deontay Wilder

‘The communication lines are good between me and [Wilder’s co-manager] Shelly [Finkel]. We’ve had a lot of talks, a lot of chats,’ Hearn told iFL TV.

‘Until the training team is confirmed for AJ, we won’t make any opponent selections because we want the input from the trainer.

‘So again, we’ve got three or four guys that we’re talking to and ready to try and make a move for. We have to make sure the training team is comfortable with that. That’ll be the plan over the next couple of weeks.

The two heavyweight boxers have never met before, with talks breaking down in 2018 over what would have been an undisputed fight.

This time around, both boxers are in very different positions and a defeat could be detrimental to either’s career.

Dillian Whyte also continues to seek a rematch with Joshua and said on Instagram: ‘Let’s run it back’

Hearn threw names including Wilder, Whyte, Fury and Usyk into the ring as potential opponents for Joshua but the Bronze Bomber looks to be a major frontrunner.

For now, Wilder is currently poised to fight Andy Ruiz Jr, and Hearn expects the American to be his next opponent.

He added: ‘He’s been ordered to fight Andy Ruiz. He’s in negotiations with various people to fight Andy Ruiz. So I’m guessing that’s what he’s going to do next.

‘At the same time, we’d like Dillian Whyte to fight Wilder in the interim or AJ in the summer. 

‘We’ll have to see, but it looks like Wilder will fight Ruiz, AJ will fight at the end of March or April, and Dillian Whyte will fight as well. I think they’re all going to come together in the summer.’

Sportsmail reported this week that Joshua had split from his coach Robert Garcia with the fighter currently out in the US building a new team to have around him as he plans his assent back up the boxing ranks.

The 33-year-old is now ready for his next fight, following his humiliating successive defeats to Usyk – the most recent coming in August. 

Joshua was ringside at Whyte’s recent victory against Jeremy Franklin on November 27

Speaking about Joshua’s return, Hearn said: ‘He’s getting ready for his training camp, deciding who he’s going to add, who he’s going to bring in, and getting that ready.

‘Once that’s secure, we’ll then confirm his opponent because we want the training team to be across the opponent selection as well.’   

And just yesterday, Whyte made his feelings clear that he was after a rematch with Joshua, posting on Instagram: ‘Let’s run it back’.

When the pair last met in 2015, Joshua defeated Whyte in the seventh round and added the British titles to his Commonwealth and WBC belts. The Body Snatcher has regularly called out Joshua since for another bite at the cherry.

Hearn is adamant that whoever Joshua comes up against, he is ‘prepared to do it’. He added: ‘This is a run where we can see him become a three-time heavyweight world champion, but these next steps are very important. 

‘I’ve always liked AJ in that fight, but we need to make sure that if we’re fighting someone like Tyson Fury, who is an outstanding fighter, that he’s 100% ready.

‘That’s the plan. To get him in training camp, get the correct team behind him to move him forward to become a three-time heavyweight world champion.’