Anthony Joshua's next opponent has been 'confirmed' and a 'deal' is supposedly in place for a big fight next year.
Joshua hasn't fought since his crushing knockout defeat to Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium last year.
But a comeback is in the works, having undergone surgery on his elbow in May to correct an injury that had sidelined him from training.
A bout in Africa has been mooted, with Nigeria and Ghana rumoured as countries to host a mega event, ahead of a potential all-British battle against Tyson Fury, who is expected to return to action next year.
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A proposed clash against Fury would likely take place in the summer, paving the way for a tune-up at the start of 2026.
Several names have been linked with a fight against Joshua, including Martin Bakole and Tony Yoka.
But, according to Arslanbek Makhmudov, he has a 'deal' in place to fight Joshua next year, having beaten Dave Allen on Saturday.
Makhmudov beat Allen by unanimous decision in Sheffield to seemingly punch his ticket for a meeting against 'AJ'.
Speaking after his hard-fought win, where he had two points deducted for holding, the towering Russian contender confirmed a fight with Joshua following talks on social media.
"I already have a deal with him," he told Boxing News. "We spoke with him in Instagram. He said, 'Okay go fight with Dave Allen and [we] fight next year'. He confirmed. Now it’s his turn."
Makhmudov has won 21 of his 23 professional matches and is on a two-fight winning streak following his defeat to Guido Vianello last year.
What has Eddie Hearn said about Anthony Joshua?
Hearn has remained tight-lipped on who Joshua will return against, but he insists his client is hellbent on facing Fury.
A fight between Fury and Joshua could break all records in the UK given the profile of each men and their long-standing rivalry.
"It's exactly what everybody wanted to hear," Hearn said of Fury's expected return to the ring. "The thing that AJ wants more than anything, is to fight Tyson Fury.
"That is the biggest fight in the sport... I'm hopeful."
He added: "The only thing that is close to that level [for Joshua] is to win the world heavyweight championship again, which is a big motivation for him."
Like Joshua, Fury also hasn't fought this year. The 'Gypsy King' suffered a points defeat to Oleksandr Usyk last year.
Topics: Boxing, Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury
Nasir Jabbar