Eddie Hearn insists that Anthony Joshua is closing in on his heavyweight title clash with Tyson Fury, with the fight set to take place at the end of May or in June but admitted it’s ‘unlikely’ it will be held in the UK.

Hearn, Joshua’s promoter, has held regular meetings with Fury’s team as the two British boxers look to unite the heavyweight division.

There remain stumbling blocks, such as Deontay Wilder’s attempts to force a third fight out of Fury and the need to push back Oleksandr Usyk’s mandatory challenge, but Hearn is confident the all-British fight will take place in the next six months. ‘I think it’s hotting up nicely.

The mind games are starting,’ Hearn SAID. ‘AJ is working tirelessly away in London and I think Tyson has gone to Miami to train and I think AJ will be going somewhere to train soon as well. ‘I think everything is great. There have been conversations every day for the last two weeks on that fight.

‘A lot of the travelling I’ve been doing lately has been looking at where that fight can be staged as well. ‘As we have done for a long time, we have an agreement on that fight. We have an agreement, which was agreed a long time ago.

Nothing has changed. We are not looking to go back on that agreement; I don’t think Tyson Fury is looking to go back on that agreement. ‘We’re in the position now of drafting paperwork to try and move forwards with that fight so I think from a pandemic point of view it’s difficult because the world is changing every day. One minute something is opening, another something is closing. ‘But that fight is planned for the end of May, early June and I don’t see anything getting in the way of it.’

Hearn is doing his best to ensure Fury and Joshua will be the pair’s next fight and that all the belts will be on the line, but the venue remains a sticking point. ‘We’ve been drafting contracts, it’s not signed but the deal has been agreed for a long time, we’ve confirmed that in writing.

I feel like the fight is virtually there, to be honest with you. We’re in the final stages of everything that’s got to be worked out. ‘There have been meetings taking place on where this fight is going to be held.

‘There are various countries. I’ve visited a few of them in the last few weeks and days and I think we’re in a good position. There’s some wacky stuff. ‘There’s some stuff you’d expect and again, I know everyone wants it in the UK but at the moment they aren’t even allowing boxing so we’ve got a long way to go.’ Asked if he knows the first fight won’t happen in the UK, he replied: ‘Unlikely.’