A blockbuster fight between Anthony Joshua and Wladimir Klitschko could be finalised as early as the middle of next week.
Joshua's promoter Eddie Hearn and Klitschko's representative Bernd Boente are currently deep in talks, with the pair in conversation by telephone four times a day to make the heavyweight showdown.
November 26 was originally slated as a possibility, but a December date is now more likely for a fight that would put Joshua's IBF's world title on the line. The hope shared by the two camps is that if Tyson Fury is stripped of the WBA and WBO belts he won from Klitschko, then they will also be at stake.
Hearn is increasingly confident that an agreement is close, saying on Thursday that there is a '70-30 chance' of it going ahead, with news possible within the next seven days.
In citing the Fury situation, whereby he is likely to lose his titles after postponing his October 29 rematch with Klitschko, Hearn told the Daily Mail: "The whole Tyson Fury episode has completely changed out direction when it comes to AJ.
"We were due to make a voluntary defence or even face our mandatory on November 26 but with the likelihood of the belts becoming available, we are now targeting a winter showdown with Wladimir Klitschko.