Lorenz Baader / Team Klitschko

World Boxing News have been reliably informed that a fight between Anthony Joshua and Wladimir Klitschko is likely to take place on December 10.

Talks have been ongoing between the heavyweight juggernauts since Tyson Fury pulled out of a rematch with Klitschko on September 22, with promoter Eddie Hearn revealing a 70% chance of the fight going ahead to Sky Sports News HQ on Wednesday,

WBN have been told, and on good authority, that both sides are close to an agreement regarding a heavyweight title clash two weeks before Christmas. The venue was touted as London or Manchester but the former seems unlikely as there is a Madness concert that night, whilst Manchester Arena is open on the date.

Joshua, 26, is hoping to lay his version of the title on the line against the best top division operator of the past decade in a bid to further enhance his already soaring reputation at 200 pounds plus.

Klitschko, on the other hand, has been out of action for almost a year due to the Fury debacle, and the 40 year-old wants to get straight back in the mix for a recognised belt as time is not on his side.

An original date of November 26 was set for Joshua in Manchester to face one of three probably unworkable opponents, although the scale of a contest against a fighter of Klitschko’s stature had bigger pulling power.

An announcement is expected to be made by Hearn and KMG over the next week or so, once Ricky Burns has completed his mandatory duties at super-lightweight against Kiryl Relikh this Friday, but as it stands Joshua v Klitschko is ‘close to being done’ for the date in question unless something out of the ordinary drastically happens.