Deontay Wilder is the current WBC heavyweight champion

Deontay Wilder says he will be ready and waiting when Anthony Joshua makes the step up to world level.

Joshua this week signed a new deal with Matchroom ahead of his December 12 Sky Sports Box Office grudge match with old amateur rival Dillian Whyte.

But Joshua's ambitions extend way beyond domestic grade, and promoter Eddie Hearn's plan is to unify the heavyweight division with his unbeaten Olympic champion.

That means taking on Wilder and Wladimir Klitschko down the line, if the Ukrainian still has his three titles after taking on Tyson Fury on Sky Sports Box Office later this month.

And WBC champion Wilder told World Boxing News: "Once he is ready to fight for the title I'm going to be around. I'm not going nowhere, no matter who I fight. I think if we fought it would be an exciting fight.

"I think Joshua has been doing a good job winning his fights and beating the guys in front of him. You got to congratulate him for his success.

Anthony Joshua (second left) has signed a new deal with Eddie Hearn's Matchroom stable

"His goal is to become the heavyweight champion of the world and I'm always looking forward to a new challenge to keep the division alive and give the people the fights they want to see.

"We are always looking for the up and coming guys and he's one of those guys."

Joshua is currently ranked second by the WBC among potential challengers to Wilder, behind Russia's Alexander Povetkin.