David Higgins, promoter for WBO heavyweight champion Joseph Parker (24-0, 18 KOs), is preparing to fly out to London to meet with Eddie Hearn, the promoter for IBO, IBF, WBA heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua (20-0, 20 KOs), to finalize a deal for their boxers to collide on March 31.
The frontrunner venue is the Principality in Cardiff, Wales. While the location has not been finalized, Higgins reveals that both sides are "closing in on a venue."
"Things are on track. Eddie and I have discussed me boarding a flight tomorrow, that's the current plan," Higgins told Stuff.
If a deal is finalized at the meeting, then Parker will fly out to London for a likely press conference with Joshua.
Parker will go over the final details with Higgins, before the promoter flies out to the UK.
"If we can make a deal and get the contract signed then Joe will probably fly midweek," Higgins confirmed.
Last month, the two sides finally reached an agreement on the most important part of their deal - the revenue split. The two sides had been negotiating those terms for several weeks.
They were stuck for quite a while at 65-35 in Joshua's favor. But eventually they were able to reach an agreement where Joshua will get a percentage between 65 to 70% and Parker will get a figure between 30-35%.
If Parker wins, he stands to gain a lot of leverage, at least in the financial department, because he will receive 55% of the revenue with Joshua getting 45% - per the rematch clause terms.
In his last bout, at Principality, Joshua retained his titles before a crowd of 78,000 fans, with a tenth round stoppage over IBF mandatory challenger Carlos Takam.
And for Parker, he traveled over to Manchester to retain his belt with a twelve round unanimous decision over undefeated mandatory challenger Hughie Fury, who is the cousin of former heavyweight champion Tyson Fury.
