Anthony Joshua has insisted the unification showdown with Deontay Wilder has to happen by the end of the year.
The new WBO, IBF and WBA (Super) king beat Joseph Parker on Saturday night in Cardiff to secure a third major world title and put himself on a collision course with the last remaining champion.
Wilder holds the WBC strap and both men have declared a serious interest in unifying the division.
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That has never been done before in the heavyweight weight class and Joshua suggested the clock is ticking to get the fight made.
2018 is the time to get all the belts, Joshua said in his post-fight press conference.
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Were one away now. Id love to go to America with Eddie [Hearn] or Rob [McCracken] and look at the landscape. See how serious they are. So negotiations can go on behind close doors.
Joshuas promoter, Eddie Hearn, echoed his fighters thoughts and warned Wilder waiting beyond the end of the year would raise issues.
He said: I think it has to happen in 2018 otherwise we are going to see problems. Its just a case of whether it happens next. if yew fight in the summer or later. If they stepped up and were actually serious about the fight, it could happen next.
But theyre so ratty and unpredictable, it could take longer.
Should Joshua and Wilder put off fighting each other, the varying sanctioning bodies might move to strip one of the belts.
Joshua must fight any mandatory challengers and should he be unable to meet those demands, the bodies could strip him of his title.
The WBO, WBA, IBF and IBO governing bodies are now all connected to Joshua and all four have different rankings and No.1 challengers.
One such challenger is No.1 WBO contender Alexander Povetkin, who knocked out David Price on the undercard of Joshua vs Parker.
More: Boxing
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Anthony Joshua has insisted the unification showdown with Deontay Wilder has to happen by the end of the year.
The new WBO, IBF and WBA (Super) king beat Joseph Parker on Saturday night in Cardiff to secure a third major world title and put himself on a collision course with the last remaining champion.
Wilder holds the WBC strap and both men have declared a serious interest in unifying the division.
More: Boxing
That has never been done before in the heavyweight weight class and Joshua suggested the clock is ticking to get the fight made.
2018 is the time to get all the belts, Joshua said in his post-fight press conference.
AdvertisementAdvertisement
Were one away now. Id love to go to America with Eddie [Hearn] or Rob [McCracken] and look at the landscape. See how serious they are. So negotiations can go on behind close doors.
Joshuas promoter, Eddie Hearn, echoed his fighters thoughts and warned Wilder waiting beyond the end of the year would raise issues.
He said: I think it has to happen in 2018 otherwise we are going to see problems. Its just a case of whether it happens next. if yew fight in the summer or later. If they stepped up and were actually serious about the fight, it could happen next.
But theyre so ratty and unpredictable, it could take longer.
Should Joshua and Wilder put off fighting each other, the varying sanctioning bodies might move to strip one of the belts.
Joshua must fight any mandatory challengers and should he be unable to meet those demands, the bodies could strip him of his title.
The WBO, WBA, IBF and IBO governing bodies are now all connected to Joshua and all four have different rankings and No.1 challengers.
One such challenger is No.1 WBO contender Alexander Povetkin, who knocked out David Price on the undercard of Joshua vs Parker.
More: Boxing
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