By VadimPushkin

Former world champion Wladimir Klitschko (64-4, 53KOs) has confirmed that he'll be fighting for a world title at the end of year, but he's not ready to confirm the sanctioning body or the opponent.

His camp was negotiating a fight with IBF champion Anthony Joshua for December 10 in Manchester. Last week their discussions took a turn for the worse when it became apparent that Klitschko would not move forward unless the fight was sanctioned for the vacant WBA world title, which was vacated recently by Tyson Fury.

Klitschko has been out of the ring since losing a twelve round decision to Fury last November.

The promoters for Klitschko and Joshua have submitted applications to the WBA to approve their fight for the organization's title. But Australian contender Lucas Browne has a legal claim to fight for that title.

Klitschko's handlers have also been negotiating with Browne for the date of December 10, but in Hamburg, Germany, and for the WBA/IBO belts. The two sides are still trying to work out the financial terms.

Everything will come down to the WBA's decision on the matter. The sanctioning body is expected to make a ruling this week.

Whether it's Joshua, Browne or someone else, Klitschko is focused on fighting for a piece of the heavyweight crown by year's end.

A darkhorse to land Klitschko on the December date is Russian giant Alexander Ustinov, who was scheduled a few months ago to face Luis Ortiz for the WBA interim-belt as part of the sanctioning body's tournament to establish a single champion within their organization. Ortiz has since vacated that belt.

"This has already happened to me in the past, where I [lost the title and] became a challenger who was trying to win back one of the championship belts. I am not prepared to say what exactly will happen, because the contract is not signed yet, but I hope that I'll be fighting for a title at the end of the year and that I become a champion again," Klitschko said.