Deontay Wilder
Wilder says he is waiting for a title unification fight next year. Getty

Deontay Wilder is waiting to take on the winner of Anthony Joshua vs Wladimir Klitschko in 2017 in a bid to unify the heavyweight division.

Reigning WBC champion Wilder has been sidelined after suffering a broken hand and a torn bicep in his stoppage victory against Chris Arreola in July, the 37<sup>th win of an undefeated professional career. The 31-year-old is back training and hopes to return to the ring by February 2017, with a meeting against Polish fighter Andrzej Wawrzuk close to being confirmed.

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That tune-up fight will pave the way for something bigger, with Wilder keeping a close eye on what promises to be one of the biggest fights of the year when Joshua and Klitschko collide at Wembley on 29 April with the IBF and WBA titles on the line.

And after the dust settles in the capital, Wilder says there is only one fight left the heavyweight division wants to see.

"If Joshua prevails against Klitschko it will be Deontay Wilder vs Anthony Joshua. There is no other fight," Wilder told ESPN. "I've been talking about unifying the division for a long time. If he fights and wins, we want that fight quickly. We been waiting for too long now. We don't want to keep the people waiting. There is no bigger fight than Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder.

"If Anthony Joshua prevails against Klitschko and we fight, you got two undefeated big guys with power, and you got titles on the line. How big can it get?"

Should Joshua defeat 41-year-old Klitschko however, any plans to face Wilder may have to put be put on hold with Luis Ortiz lined up to face the winner of the Wembley showdown.

The Cuban has been installed as the mandatory challenger for the vacant WBA 'Super' belt, which Tyson Fury relinquished in October after admitting to taking cocaine.