By Igor Lazorin, tass

Former world boxing champion David Haye is still gunning for a world title showdown in 2018 with the World Boxing Association (WBA), the International Boxing Federation (IBF) and the International Boxing Organization (IBO) beltholder, Anthony Joshua (19-0, 19 KOs).

Joshua is scheduled to return in Cardiff on October 28, when he makes a mandatory defense of his title against Kubrat Pulev of Bulgaria. But Joshua is also under the WBA's mandatory order to then fight Luis Ortiz.

"I will hold the next fight in December. We will announce everything in the next two weeks, and the fight itself will be held in England. Of course, I want a fight against Joshua in 2018," Haye said.

Haye, a former two division world champion, resumed his career in 2016 after almost a four-year hiatus. In 2016, he won two quick victories by knockout.

But in March of this year, Haye's comeback took a major setback when he was stopped in eleven rounds by Tony Bellew, who was moving up from the cruiserweight division. Haye suffered a serious leg injury during the contest and contest was eventually stopped by the referee after Haye went down for the second time.

There were discussions to have a rematch with Bellew in December, but the two boxers are unable to agree on a lot of the terms - with both boxers believing they deserve A-side treatment.

Haye's biggest win to date is when he unseated the 7-foot Nikolai Valuev on November 7, 2009 to capture the WBA heavyweight championship. Haye would lose the belt in 2011 when he dropped a twelve round decision to Wladimir Klitschko.

On April 29, in a 12-round bout at London's Wembley Stadium, Joshua captured that same WBA title when he got off the floor in the sixth round to stop Wladimir Klitschko by TKO in round 11.

Haye has a record of 28 victories (26 by knockout) and three defeats.