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Eddie Hearn says Anthony Joshua would be happy to take on Wladmir Klitscko in a unification bout

Anthony Joshua and Wladimir Klitschko
Image: Anthony Joshua (left) believes Wladimir Klitschko (right) is

Anthony Joshua's promoter Eddie Hearn says the Brit would be happy to fight Wladimir Klitschko if Tyson Fury is stripped of his world title belts.

However, Hearn stressed that the Joshua camp's favoured scenario is for Fury to defeat Klitschko once again, setting the scene for a Joshua-Fury bout which would be one of the most keenly awaited in British boxing history.

Klitschko had been due for a rematch with Fury on October 29, but the bout has been called off for a second time because Fury, the WBA and WBO heavyweight champion, is "medically unfit to fight".

Meanwhile, IBF king Joshua is scheduled to defend his title for the second time on November 26, with Joseph Parker appearing to be his most likely opponent.

However, when the seemingly unlikely prospect of a Joshua-Klitschko showdown was put to Hearn on Twitter, he did not play down the prospect.

Wladimir Klitschko speaks at a press conference ahead of his World Heavyweight title rematch with Tyson Fury
Image: Klitschko has again been denied the chance to avenge last year's points loss to Tyson Fury

"Reached out to @Klitschko team - we love the fight! @anthonyfjoshua," the promoter posted in reply.

Fury claimed a shock points win over Klitschko last November, but has now been forced to pull out of a planned rematch on two occasions, and it has been suggested that he may be stripped of his belts.

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And Hearn told Sky Sports News HQ on Saturday morning: "The whole thing is a complete mess.

"From our side, if Wladimir Klitschko against Anthony Joshua can be made for the WBA and the IBF belts, for November 26, we are taking that fight, no question.

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"But, as always in boxing, it is a very complicated process. There is so much that needs to happen and I don't feel like they will strip Tyson Fury just yet and I hope they don't.

"We want the winner of that fight, Fury against Klitschko, and we want to fight Tyson Fury really.

"That is a unification fight between two Brits in the heavyweight division. That has never happened before and will never happen again.

"We hope he gets better soon.

"All these other contenders now are going to be like piranhas, biting at the governing body, saying 'we want our shot, we have been waiting too long'.

"Wladimir Klitscko will turn round and say 'hang on a minute, for 12 months I have been waiting for my rematch and now it has not happened'.

Tyson Fury
Image: A statement is expected this week regarding how long Tyson Fury is expected to be out for

"I think there is going to be a statement on Tuesday from Team Fury, about how long he is going to be out for, and that is going to be one of the defining factors in terms of the governing body making their decision on whether Fury keeps the belt.

"Hopefully, he can get back in the ring soon and fight Klitchsko but, if not, I spoke to AJ last night and said 'you could jump in and fight Klitschko'. He said 'let's do it'.

"I think he believes that Klitschko is certainly there for the taking and it's a great fight.

"We have also got Joseph Parker, who is Anthony's mandatory, and that is a great fight. That could be made for November as well.

Anthony Joshua, Joseph Parker
Image: Joseph Parker (right) is Joshua's mandatory challenger

"These next three or four days are going to be really interesting, breaking down the jigsaw, planning Anthony Joshua's next move.

"But the heavyweight division is non-stop action, non-stop news, non-stop drama and that is boxing all over."

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