A fight between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua is unlikely to happen in the UK, according to Eddie Hearn, because it would make more money overseas.

Hearn believes that Fury will want to face Joshua, if he beats Deontay Wilder for the WBC title in Las Vegas on Saturday, but the fight would happen where most money is on offer.

He says Joshua wants to face Fury in the UK, but Fury does not care about boxing at home.

“We just have to be realistic,” Hearn said. “Joshua wants to fight Fury in the UK. He’s already said that to me.

“Fury has turned his back on the UK. He’s had three fights on the spin in America. He ain’t coming back, he ain’t interested in fighting here.”

Hearn believes that the money available in Saudi Arabia – where Joshua beat Andy Ruiz Jr in December – is more than any UK fight could generate.

However, boxing in Saudi Arabia does have its own problems, with Joshua and Hearn accused of sportswashing and supporting a repressive regime when the fight with Ruiz ended up in Diriyah.

“I got a lot of heat for that,” Hearn said. “Do you think I go to the teams ‘here’s the money from Saudi, but listen everyone really wants the fight in the UK’. Both camps will be saying to me present us with the options.”

Yet having failed to strike a deal with Wilder’s team in the past, Hearn believes dealing with Fury will prove easier.

“If Fury wins, we’ve got a straight line to Bob Arum and MTK,” Hearn said. “If Wilder wins, it’s much, much harder.

“It’s going to take someone from their side to lose a bit of ego and make the call.”