With Joshua holding four titles (WBA, IBF, WBO, and IBO), Fury’s win over Deontay Wilder in February means a fight between the two Brits is expected. 

Although Joshua has been confirmed to fight Kubrat Pulev for the IBF belt in June while Fury is likely to settle a contractual obligation to Wilder for the third time, boxing promoter Eddie Hearn has said that the two Brits could meet in December. 

According to Hearn, talks with Fury’s camp are going smoothly for a December date provided that both fighters win their next fights. 

“Myself and Bob Arum (Fury's promoter) have been talking to a point where we're ready to conclude a deal and try to move forward to get that deal done for December,” Hearn is quoted to say by Daily Mail. 

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“There's no reason why we can't put that deal in place now for the winner of those two fights.

“We're going to fight on June 20, they're going to fight, I believe, on July 18. That leaves plenty of time for a December fight.

“We've just got to iron out some basic things like broadcasters and where the fight is going to take place. But I believe there's a real desire from both sides to get that fight done now. December would be perfect.”

Hearn said the fight has to happen to maximise the opportunity of two Brits being heavyweight champions at the same time. 

“So we've got to make it happen, let's get the deal made now and let's let those guys concentrate on their big fights in the summer,” Hearn also said. 

The Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Las Vegas and Saudi Arabia are the front-runners to stage the fight.

Meanwhile, Fury has continued to taunt Joshua by claiming to be the real king of the heavyweight division. 

The 31-year-old had to vacate the belts Joshua has now after he was stripped of them due to drug and mental health issues. 

He believes he is the legitimate heavyweight champion and that Joshua has only got his leftovers. 

“I've already been the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world when I beat Klitschko, I had all of the belts,' Fury said during an appearance on This Morning alongside his wife Paris.

“So as far as I'm concerned, Anthony Joshua has only got my leftovers because I never lost those belts. I had to vacate them for mental health problems. They're my belts.” 

Fury got back a title after his win over Wilder in Las Vegas.