Thursday 21 December 2017 17:12, UK
Eddie Hearn is hopeful agreement can be reached early in 2018 for a huge heavyweight unification fight between Anthony Joshua and Joseph Parker.
Negotiations between the two camps have dragged on for months, with Parker's manager David Higgins going public on a couple of occasions to call out Hearn and Joshua.
But Matchroom chief Hearn, speaking after a press conference for Lawrence Okolie and Isaac Chamberlain's "British Beef" clash on February 3, told Sky Sports News long-awaited agreement with the WBO champion from New Zealand might not be far away.
The winner of any fight between Joshua (20-0-KO20) and Parker (24-0-KO18) would then only need to dethrone WBC strap-holder Deontay Wilder to proclaim himself undisputed heavyweight champion.
Hearn said: "We're getting there. As AJ says, he wants the belts, he wants to be the undisputed king of the division. That's the aim, and to do that he has to win two belts.
"We're looking at March 24, March 31 and April 7 as potential dates for his next fight, with various different venues in London and Wales, even other venues and cities around Europe as well.
"We want that unification fight, we're close to a deal with Parker - it's not done yet but we hope over the Christmas period, the turkey will get put to one side and we'll work to get that done.
"Hopefully we'll be in position to announce that early in 2018.
"AJ is that Willy Wonka fight - the golden ticket, the one everybody wants. A lot of people are talking 'I want this, I want that' but if you really want it be realistic and come get it."
Joshua was also in attendance at the press conference, as his management team looks after Okolie, and he remains open to taking on either Parker or Wilder - as long as there is a belt on the line.
He added: "Every year has to be an increase on what we have just done. I want to go and become undisputed heavyweight champion of the world and 2018 starts paving the way for that.
"Whoever is the first stop off, end of March or early April, so be it…but I do want it to be for a championship belt. There's two left - WBC and WBO. The WB is fine, whether it's the O or C is up to the opponent."
Parker and Joshua have swapped punches already, albeit only virtual ones on social media, but the WBA and IBF champion has no intention of letting the Kiwi get to him.
Joshua added: "I don't really get involved in the whole Twitter beef too much but as I have said it does add to it.
"Saying one thing is different to acting. We've been in touch and we're trying to make this fight happen.
"I commend these guys [Okolie and Chamberlain] for making this fight happen because it can be difficult and that's what we are trying to achieve - bring an amazing fight forward for the public."
