By Elliot Foster

Eddie Hearn has insisted that a fight between Anthony Joshua and Wladimir Klitschko is far from over the line.

The Matchroom chief, who promotes the undefeated Watford IBF champion, took to social media on Thursday to deny rumours that the fight is signed and sealed.

Joshua (17-0, 17 KOs) will make the second defence of his world crown on November 26 at Manchester Arena, exclusively live on Sky Sports Box Office in the UK and on Showtime in the States.

And although Joseph Parker, the New Zealander who fights this weekend against Alexander Dimitrenko, is the mandatory challenger –– and favourite to get the gig –– Hearn has said that the fight with the Ukrainian former kingpin, 40, is a possibility.

“I’ve seen a lot of stuff, talking about AJ and Klitschko, saying that it’s done,” he said in a video posteed to his verified Instagram account. “It’s definitely not done, [but] we are negotiating, we are in talks with Team Klitschko and [his manager] Bernd Boente.

“I’m hopeful that the fight can be made, if everything works out.

“Joseph Parker, of course, our mandatory, fights live on Sky Sports on Saturday against Alexander Dimitrenko, that’s on the [Nathan] Cleverly-[Juergen] Braehmer broadcast.

“But on AJ, we’re working hard, we hope to have some news soon and I’ll update you when I can.”

Further details will be revealed in due course.