Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder will reportedly battle on the identical card in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia subsequent month - simply not towards one another. Both fighters are mentioned to be engaged on offers with Turki Alalshikh of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority, who placed on Tyson Fury's money-spinning crossover conflict with Francis Ngannou final month.

But regardless of Wilder and Joshua's representatives being locked into talks for the previous few months over a blockbuster showdown between the pair, no contracts have been signed. And they're now set to field completely different opponents on the identical invoice, in accordance with esteemed boxing journalist Dan Rafael. 

The report provides that the cardboard is being deliberate for December 23, the initially proposed date for Fury and Oleksandr Usyk's undisputed bout. However, after a dismal displaying towards Ngannou, the four-belt shootout has been pushed again to February whereas Wilder and Joshua fill the vacant slot.

Fury's promoter Frank Warren had beforehand teased a "massive night" on December 23 after confirming Fury wouldn't be boxing Usyk on the again finish of this yr. "There’s gonna be a big night in December, and we’ll be announcing very soon,” Warren told talkSPORT.

“It will be massive. You’re gonna love it. I can’t give you all the information at the moment, but everything’s going in the right direction for it to be a historic night in boxing. It’s gonna feature boxers from all over the world. You will be surprised by the names. There’s some great British fighters too.”

It now appears that one of those "nice British fighters" is Joshua while WBA light-heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol is reportedly in talks with the Saudis to get on the card as well.

The Saudis had planned to put on Joshua vs Wilder this year but much to the dismay of boxing fans both parties couldn't work out the finances to stage the contest in 2023. There is now no clear date in sight heading into next year despite Eddie Hearn insisting that the fight was "just about agreed" in July.

Hearn advised Boxing News on the time: "Obviously with our conferences with the Saudis on Friday, and Thursday, we're in a very good spot we just about have a deal agreed in precept topic to some remaining discussions."