Tyson Fury v Anthony Joshua: Promoter Eddie Hearn still hopeful of fight this year

Joshua lost the WBA (Super), WBO and IBF belts to Usyk in September 2021 but Fury still holds the WBC title

Eddie Hearn says he has "not given up hope" of heavyweight Anthony Joshua fighting Tyson Fury this year.

A deal for WBC champion Fury, 34, to face fellow champion Oleksandr Usyk for all the belts at Wembley Stadium on 29 April could be finalised next week.

"I'm happy to make Joshua and Fury right now for the summer, whether Fury wins or loses against Usyk," Matchroom Boxing promoter Hearn told BBC Sport.

Joshua, 33, faces Jermaine Franklin at London's O2 Arena on 1 April.

Hearn added if the Fury-Usyk bout falls through, Joshua - who is coming off the back of two consecutive losses to Ukrainian Usyk - is happy to step in.

"If the Usyk fight doesn't get made, our message to Team Fury is that we'll make the fight now, for straight after the Franklin fight," he said.

Saudi Arabia was understood to be the frontrunner to host the historic Fury-Usyk fight, the first undisputed heavyweight clash in the four-belt era, but Wembley Stadium is now considered the most likely venue.

Usyk's promoter Alexander Krassyuk met with Queensbury Promotions' Frank Warren, who represents Fury, in London on Wednesday.

"They've obviously gone to the Middle East to get that money, failed because Anthony Joshua is not involved in that fight, and now they've gone to Wembley," Hearn added.

"I don't know how they get the numbers that Fury will demand for that fight, but if they can, brilliant. Hopefully for boxing it gets made because any time there's an undisputed clash it's great for the sport.

"It doesn't matter if they failed in their attempt to secure a big Middle East fight or whatever has happened, it's tremendous for British boxing if it does come home."

Fury and Joshua have been close to agreeing an all-British super-fight on a number of occasions, most recently in September.

The proposed heavyweight contest for December fell through after undefeated Fury's self-imposed deadline for Joshua to sign the contract expired.

"When we were negotiating the AJ-Fury fight, Tyson Fury was on social media every day calling him every name under the sun and telling him he had to sign the contract today," Hearn said.

"We had daily deadlines. I haven't heard him say anything about Usyk. Certainly no deadlines.

"Whatever way Tyson Fury wants to look at it, the fight with AJ will give him the payday he wants. He wants to make as much money as possible, and rightfully so, he's a fantastic fighter. The fight with AJ breaks all records.

"I understand their focus is to make the Usyk fight, but we're ready if they want AJ."