Eddie Hearn, promoter for IBF, WBA, WBO, IBO heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua, expects a massive demand to see his boxer face the winner of the upcoming rematch between WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder and challenger Tyson Fury.
Wilder will face Fury for a second time n February 22 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
Joshua will be making a mandatory defense of his titles against Kubrat Pulev in May or June.
There is a contractual clause, where Wilder or Fury could demand an immediate trilogy fight. In other words, the trilogy can be initiated by either boxer regardless of the outcome.
But unless the rematch is a classic, Hearn does not expect a third fight to come off. The first bout ended in a controversial twelve round split draw in December 2018 at Staples Center in Los Angeles. Experts are split on the outcome of the second bout, but there is a slight edge to Wilder.
If the Wilder-Fury trilogy comes off next, then Hearn would match Joshua against his WBO mandatory challenger, Oleksandr Usyk - provided the former unified cruiserweight champ wins a planned match against heavyweight banger Derek Chisora in March.
"I just think that whoever wins [Wilder vs Fury 2] and if AJ beats Pulev, which we hope he does, basically the whole world is going to say 'we have to see that fight,'" said Hearn.
"I think there will be so much pressure on both guys to make that fight. Unless Wilder-Fury 2 is a brilliant fight, no one is going to want to see the [third fight]. Everyone is going to want to see the undisputed fight, the winner against AJ. I'm hoping that we can manoeuvre something there. If not, we fight Oleksandr Usyk, if he beats Derek Chisora, and if Joshua beats Pulev."