Joshua ready to fast-track Usyk into Wembley clash

ANTHONY JOSHUA could face Oleksandr Usyk at Wembley in April with his promoter Eddie Hearn already in discussions to co-promote the Ukrainian cruiserweight.

Usyk unified the 14st 4lb division by outpointing the previously undefeated Murat Gassiev in Russia last weekend to add the WBA and IBF titles to his WBO and WBC titles.

Talk has already turned to a move up to heavyweight and it has now emerged that a fight against superstar Joshua could happen as early as April 13, with Wembley Stadium already booked for a show.

Joshua and his promoter Hearn hope to tempt the WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder into a mega-money battle at the national stadium but they are lining up contingency plans in case that fight fails to materialise.

As reported by The Mail on Sunday last week, Joshua says he would be open to facing Tyson Fury on the date but it is unclear whether or not the self-styled Gypsy King, only just back from nearly three years out, would be ready for such a huge fight by then.

Instead it could be Usyk, who won gold in the weight class below Joshua at the London 2012 Olympics, who could stand across from AJ next spring.

‘Joshua v Usyk could possibly be in April,’ said Hearn. ‘Joshua wants the Usyk fight, he is fascinated by that kind of thing because he wants to test himself against people who he thinks are brilliant. He thinks Usyk is brilliant. He is up for it.

‘I think Usyk will struggle against the big boys like any cruiserweight would. Outside of [Evander] Holyfield and a few others, who has done it?’

However, it appears that any route to an April fight with Joshua would have to go via another of Hearn’s fighters, Tony Bellew.

The former cruiserweight world champion gave up his WBC title in order to face David Haye in a pair of money-spinning fights at heavyweight but the ‘Bomber’ believes he can beat Usyk and win all the belts.

And Hearn senses an opportunity to co-promote Usyk, who is currently aligned with K2 Promotions, by offering him a multi-fight deal which will conclude with a crack at Joshua.

Hearn added: ‘Everybody seems to want to fight Joshua because he is the biggest fight in boxing.

‘Usyk’s plan is to fight Joshua and we have a plan for Usyk to get to Joshua.

‘My only priority for Usyk is Tony Bellew but he has the ability to be in some huge heavyweight fights.

‘We have made them some offers to talk numbers.’