Promoter Eddie Hearn says there is ‘absolutely no question’ that Britain’s Anthony Joshua will face Deontay Wilder of the United States in a heavyweight unification tussle next year.

Wilder called out the current IBF and WBA champion after defending his WBC title against Bermane Stiverne on Saturday last inside three minutes.

Hearn met Wilder’s promoter in the USA on Thursday and is confident an agreement will be reached to make the fight happen.

Hearn was non-committal on whether it is likely to be Joshua’s next fight or if a summer bout is more likely but he stressed a meeting between the two unbeaten fighters would be the ‘biggest fight in world boxing’ next year.

While there are still some issues over the fees for both men, Hearn insists it is crystal clear they both want the bout to happen.

“Joshua wants this fight bad, Wilder wants it bad as well,” he said.

“It’s going to happen in 2018, absolutely no question. You can’t get away with not making fights anymore because when you do you wake up to a million tweets.”

Joshua has been selling out stadiums for his recent fights in the UK, but there is a possibility he’ll go to America to face Wilder in a potentially smaller venue.

As things stand currently, a bout between Joshua and Wilder would result in the winner holding three of the four major titles in the heavyweight division, with New Zealand’s Joseph Parker in possession of the WBO belt.