WBA, IBO, IBF heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua (20-0, 20 KOs) is gearing up for a likely unification with WBO world champion Joseph Parker (24-0, 18 KOs) - which is being targeted for March 31 in the UK.

Should he defeat Parker, Joshua would then need to take on and beat undefeated WBC champion Deontay Wilder to realise his ambition.

He also suggested he would be willing to fight fellow British boxer Tyson Fury (25-0, 18 KOs) in the new year.

But Joshua will not consider that fight - until Fury gets back on his feet. Fury has been inactive since November 2015, when he traveled to Germany to shock Wladimir Klitschko with a twelve round decision for the IBF, IBO, WBA, WBO titles.

“Of course, he’s a lively opponent when he’s fit,” Joshua said about Fury to BBC Radio 5 Live.

“He has his own battles and demons to face and, once he’s got over them, he’s more than welcome to enter a ring with me. It’s something that we should be focusing on in 2018.

“With all due respect to Tyson Fury, I think it would be wise if his handlers got him a few fights, get the body ticking over again and then get that love for the sport back. A few wins under the belt and then we can get it cracking.”

Joshua also made it clear that he doesn't respect Fury - because of all the trash talking done by the Gypsy fighter in the last two years.

"What we are achieving as heavyweight champions is phenomenal," Joshua told BBC Radio 5 live's Sportsweek. "But for someone in my own industry to discredit it, I can't respect that person."

"I don't respect [Fury]. I don't have much respect for many boxers in the heavyweight division. It's not an act with me. I'm being honest. I used to. I used to say very nice things.

"If I speak well of Tyson Fury and say 'what he's achieved is so hard and I respect him' it builds the credibility of the heavyweight championship belt up.

"But when Tyson Fury says 'Anthony Joshua is a bum' and 'look at him, he's struggling against this opponent' it discredits everything I've achieved."