Eddie Hearn, promoter for IBF, IBO, WBA, WBO heavyweight Anthony Joshua (21-0, 20 KOs), says a showdown with WBC champion Deontay Wilder (40-0, 39 KOs) is looking more likely for February of next year.
The two sides are negotiating, but their discussions are dragging out - with neither side budging on the fight location.
Joshua wants the contest to take place in the UK- and he doesn't appear interested in Wilder's offer of $50 million to do the fight in the United States.
Eddie Hearn's father, Barry, met with Wilder's co-manager Shelly Finkel last week - but there is no deal in sight.
The problem Hearn is having - is the WBA's order for Joshua to make a mandatory defense against Alexander Povetkin of Russia.
And the sanctioning body is now pushing hard for Joshua to make that defense.
"My dad met with Shelly and there are now frequent conversations. Those two met on Friday, they emailed us on Monday morning and we are getting back to them. I think it will get done but the WBA are asking us every day and we are extending this negotiation period all the time. At the moment, we are fighting Povetkin. I think we have to make a call by the end of the week really," Hearn to The Daily Mail.
"We want to fight in September but September doesn't work with Wilder because of Showtime. If we fight Wilder it would probably be October, November but if we fight Povetkin it will be September. If Povetkin is September then Wilder probably won't happen until February."
But, even in February, the problem would still remain the same - as Joshua would still want Wilder to fight him in the UK.
Joshua seems firm on a two-fight deal, where the first contest with Wilder is in the UK - and the rematch, should Wilder win, head over to the United States.
"If Povetkin is September then Wilder probably won't happen until February. That would mean we would probably go to Cardiff. We wanted to fight Wilder in September because there was the possibility of places like Wembley. But if you go October or November then it also becomes Cardiff, where we have done two fights on the bounce," Hearn said.