EDDIE HEARN has opened the door to talks for Anthony Joshua to fight Tyson Fury this summer.
The pair of heavyweight rivals have tiresomely failed to agree terms for a blockbuster Battle of Britain bout in the past.
And the dream fight appears further away than ever with AJ set to build his way back while Fury unifies the division against Oleksandr Usyk.
Joshua, 33, is in line to return on April 1 at the O2 Arena before setting up a summer rematch against Dillian Whyte, 34.
Meanwhile Fury, 34, is in talks for the heavyweight division's first four-belt undisputed title decider against Usyk, 35.
But although the Brit duo appear destined for different paths, promoter Hearn is not ready to rule out shock talks.
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He told iFL TV: "AJ wants a big fight in the summer. So the one which would make sense, the one which should be hopefully straight forward to make is the rematch with Dillian Whyte.
"We're open to a Deontay Wilder fight, we're open to a Tyson Fury fight, we're open to every fight in the summer.
"But yet, in my mind with AJ fighting in April and probably Dillian fighting around the same time, that would lead them to a big all-British heavyweight fight in the summer.
"Doesn't mean it's done, we've still got to agree terms with both fighters, but that's what I'd like to do.
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"However, AJ knows he wants to be in the biggest fights possible and if a bigger fight rears its head, and there's only two bigger fights in the division than Dillian Whyte, and that's Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder.
"And if they appear, somehow, 100 per cent willing to look at those as well."
Joshua was beaten in his Saudi Arabia rematch against Usyk in August, his second defeat to the Ukrainian in 11 months.
He subsequently took some time off and will now relocate to America with a new trainer for his return fight.
Hearn wants AJ to fight three times in 2023 and against Wilder, 37, at some point in the year.
He said: "I want the Wilder fight in 2023. I know AJ does as well. That's a massive fight."
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