Joshua closing in on a Wembley Wilder clash

ANTHONY JOSHUA’S promoter is set for crunch talks with Deontay Wilder’s team in New York next week as they seek to agree on a Wembley showdown.

Eddie Hearn will meet Wilder’s representatives as they look to do a deal for a unification fight and has earmarked a September 15 clash.

Hearn’s opening offer of £8.8million for the WBC heavyweight champion to face Joshua, the WBA, IBF and WBO title holder, has been dismissed.

Wilder’s team are preparing a counteroffer and are willing to meet Hearn, who hopes face-to-face talks will help smooth over the differences next week, when he will be in Brooklyn to promote Daniel Jacobs’ middleweight fight against Maciej Sulecki.

“We made an offer a week ago and we haven’t heard back,” said Hearn. “I’m going to New York next week so I’m going to sit down with them.”

The date of the fight will be determined by Mexican Saul Alvarez’s hearing with the Nevada State Athletic Commission today. He is facing a one-year ban for two failed drug tests, but if he is cleared he is likely to pursue a rematch with Gennady Golovkin on that date in Las Vegas.

That would mean Joshua’s defence against Wilder would be staged a week earlier to avoid a clash on American pay-perview TV. BELTER: Joshua is aiming for a full set of titles AMIR KHAN says love for the sport is the only reason for his return. Khan will be back in the ring on Saturday for the first time in two years, taking on Phil Lo Greco in Liverpool. The 31-year-old has not fought since 2016 but believes he is now better than ever. He said: “I’m not coming back because I need to, I’m coming back because I love the sport and I know I’ve got the energy to be a world champion again.”