Eddie Hearn and Anthony Joshua
Hearn is eyeing a big end to the year for Joshua. Getty Images

KEY POINTS

  • Matchroom chief says the heavyweight pair will duel in 2018 – if Joshua beats Joseph Parker.
  • Joshua faces Parker on 31 March in Cardiff when the IBF, WBA and WBO titles will be on the line.

Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder remain on collision course to decide the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world after Eddie Hearn indicated a bout between the pair is pencilled in for 2018.

WBC champion Wilder completed the seventh defence of his title and maintained his 100<sup>%-win record in the 40<sup>th fight of his career with the 10<sup>th round stoppage of Luis Ortiz in Brooklyn on Saturday [3 March].

Read more

And if IBF and WBA title holder Joshua can sidestep Joseph Parker when the two meet in Cardiff on 31 March – the New Zealander's WBO strap will also be on the line – then Hearn expects the American and the former Olympic champion to clash this year.

"The fight with Anthony Joshua is unquestionably the biggest fight in world boxing and anyone that knows me knows how much I would love to stage a fight like that," the Matchroom chief told The Daily Mail.

"Also, if you know Anthony you will know he will fight anyone but for now there is only one thing on his mind - Joseph Parker in a spine-tingling unification match up on March 31."

Joshua and Parker will both put their unbeaten records, as well as their respective world titles on the line in the Welsh capital on Easter Saturday, in the first heavyweight unification bout ever held in the United Kingdom.

The fight is preceded by a host of high-profile heavyweight clashes with the likes of Joshua's former adversary Dillian Whyte and prospective future opponent Jarrell Miller both in action. And Hearn is not ruling out either taking on the winner of Joshua and Wilder.

"I expect Parker to pose plenty of problems in this fight, perhaps even more than Wilder. If AJ does the business in Cardiff I believe there is every chance you will see Joshua v Wilder in 2018.

"The heavyweight division is buzzing right now and we have two very important fights coming up in Dillian Whyte v Lucas Browne on March 24 at the O2 and Jarrell Miller v Johann Duhaupas on April 28 in New York.

"Whyte v Browne is going to be an absolute war and Miller is making plenty of noise Stateside - both winners will be calling for Wilder or Joshua in 2018."