Anthony Joshua vs. Wladimir Klitschko Fight Terms Agreed, Says Eddie Hearn

An official announcement confirming a heavyweight clash between Anthony Joshua and Wladimir Klitschko could be made in "a couple of days" after both fighters agreed to fight, according to promoter Eddie Hearn.

The clash between IBF champion Joshua, 27, and veteran Klitschko, 40, merely needs to be sanctioned by the governing bodies in order for it to go ahead, Hearn confirmed, per BBC Radio 5 live:

"

Terms are virtually there. 

The deal between the fighters is there. The financial terms are agreed, there was a problem with US broadcasters but that has been sorted.

It is now a case of getting the paperwork and the sanctioning in order. Hopefully in a couple of days we will have the official announcement.

"

Hearn added that he does not think Klitschko is necessarily the right fight for Joshua this early in his career, but said that added to the excitement, per BBC Radio 5 live (via the Evening Standard's Sam Long: 

"

I don’t think it is the right fight for Anthony Joshua. But isn’t that what’s exciting about it?

You can’t really win as a promoter because on the one hand people are saying "oh you’re putting him into too easy fights" and then you put him in a fight where people say "oh that’s a bit early for him isn’t it?"

Well that’s the excitement. You look at the odds with the bookmakers and they're even money in the fight. It’s a complete 50-50 fight.

"

As well as Joshua's IBF belt, the WBA and WBO titles could also be on the line after Tyson Fury vacated the belts last week.

The Englishman has withdrawn from two rematches with Klitschko during the past year after he inflicted the veteran's first defeat in over a decade last November to win his WBA, IBF and WBO titles.

In the absence of a Fury-Klitschko rematch, a clash between Joshua and the Ukrainian is arguably the biggest fight currently possible in the heavyweight division, per Sky Sports duo Adam Smith and Johnny Nelson:

Having not fought in almost a year, Klitschko will be desperate to return to the ring and win back the titles he lost against Fury.

Meanwhile, Joshua will want to prove that he can step up a level and beat the man who has dominated the heavyweight division in recent times.

The Englishman is 17-0 in his professional career—with each victory earned by knockout—and already has the IBF belt to his name, but a fight with Klitschko would eclipse all of his professional bouts so far in his career by a distance.

However, BBC Radio 5 live's Mike Costello believes Joshua is more than up for the challenge:

According to Hearn, the fight between Joshua and Klitschko is likely to be held at the Manchester Arena and would be one of the biggest bouts in recent memory to be fought in Britain, per 5 live.

The disappointment of Fury's postponements would be wiped out should the Joshua-Klitschko fight get made, and it looks close to becoming a reality.