Joshua’s next bout might see him win the belt vacated by Oleksandr Usyk.

Anthony Joshua’s eagerly awaited fight with Tyson Fury is getting closer to becoming a reality.

Broadcaster DAZN is reportedly close to an agreement that would bring promoters Frank Warren and Eddie Hearn under the same umbrella.

Tyson Fury will fight Oleksandr Usyk this year

Fans have wanted Fury to fight Anthony Joshua for yearsCredit: Reuters

The streaming service is confident of sealing a long-term deal with Queensberry Promotions, according to The Times.

The report has suggested that Warren’s company could have the deal in place in weeks.

It is said that it would be a “seismic shift” in the world of boxing with Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing having a deal with DAZN since 2021.

Joshua is the star of Matchroom Boxing and has signed a career-long deal with DAZN as well as holding equity in the broadcaster.

Warren promotes Fury, thus the contract would link the two boxers with the same service.

Queensberry had a contract with TNT Sports, but it will end in 2025.

Once the current agreement with DAZN expires, the new one will take effect.

It would also establish the streaming service as the “home of UK boxing”.

DAZN has previously sub-licensed TV deals with TNT and Sky Sports in order to make the most from pay-per-view fights.

This was the case for bouts involving both Fury and Joshua in Saudi Arabia.

Will AJ vs Fury actually happen?

SunSport boxing correspondent Wally Downes Jr answers the big questions around Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury finally facing each other…

Could we finally see Fury vs AJ this year?

Simply: Yes.

Before the Saudi takeover of boxing – spearheaded by Turki Alalshikh, would we have seen Fury vs Francis Ngannou, AJ vs Ngannou, Deontay Wilder vs Joseph Parker, Frank Warren and Eddie Hearn working together and shaking hands for photos?

Simply: No.

The rules, rankings, sanctioning bodies and broadcast and promotional disputes are all irrelevant when this much money is thrown at prize fighting.

How would it work?

It feels like the winner of Fury vs Usyk on May 18 will fight AJ as soon after as possible.

There is a rematch clause in the current deal for Britain’s WBC champ and Ukraine’s WBA, IBF and WBO king to meet and decide the first undisputed ruler for 25 years.

But it seems certain the belts will fragment afterwards – with a string of mandatory challengers due their crack at the four separate belts – so the clamour for AJ vs the winner might be bigger than the demand for a rerun for fewer belts.

Where would it happen?

It feels like every major fight is now going to happen in Saudi Arabia.

But don’t rule out a potential Fury vs Ngannou clash taking place at Wembley stadium.

It seems like the Saudis are keen to eventually host shows in the UK and that fight, at the home of football, would be some debut.

If Usyk topples the Gypsy King then the hype for him to face AJ for a third time will be far less intense.

Why this time?

It feels like we have twice come close to seeing the clash but there were simply too many hurdles and disputes in the way – similar to the way AJ vs Wilder still hasn’t happened.

But with Alalshikh now making Hearn’s Matchroom and Warren’s Queensberry play nice and letting Sky Sports, TNT and DAZN share the shows, there is far less to fight over in the boardroom and loads on to battle for in the ring.

And if Fury beats Usyk and rightfully demands a huge percentage of an overdue Joshua meeting, then the Saudi’s have the cash and the clout to hand him 99 per cent of the pie – to massage his ego and bank balance – and hand AJ as much extra dough as needed to keep everyone sweet.

Who wins?

If Fury sets up an AJ clash by beating Oleksandr Usyk – the mathematics and stats make it clear only a maniac would back Joshua to triumph in the all-English clash.

Usyk dominated AJ over two one-sided fights, on foreign soil.

The Watford man has enjoyed a spike in form and respect since linking up with new trainer Ben Davison but a 20st 6ft 9in Fury – who has just slayed the gap-toothed southpaw – would be almost invincible.

But in any major football derby or cup final the formbook is often aimed out of the window. And perhaps a rejuvenated hungry AJ could be too much for an undisputed and fulfilled Fury to handle.

Fury is in action this year, with a December fight against Oleksandr Usyk in Saudi Arabia.

The Gypsy King lost to the Ukrainian in May, his first professional setback.

Joshua, meanwhile, will face fellow British boxer Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium in September.

The two will compete for the IBF heavyweight title vacated by Usyk.

This might lead to Fury facing Joshua in 2025, in one of the most intriguing British boxing contests in history.

However, it is unclear whether the historic fight will take place in Riyadh or London.