Joseph Parker fight lined up for Anthony Joshua in summer 2018

Anthony Joshua secured a thrilling success over Wladimir Klitschko this year

Anthony Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn has said he is lining up a potential showdown with Joseph Parker next year.

WBO champion Parker is preparing to defend his heavyweight belt against Hughie Fury in September and has voiced his desire for a future unification clash with Joshua if he retains his title.

Joshua, the rising force in the heavyweight division, holds the WBA ‘super’ title and IBF belt after his dramatic victory over Wladimir Klitschko in May.

While plans are yet to be confirmed for Joshua, Hearn admits he has designs on another belt for his stable star in the next 12 months.

Joshua is the man calling the shots in the heavyweight division

He said: “We’ve got the Wladimir Klitschko fight (re-match), we’ve also got a mandatory with Kubrat Pulev but we want Parker in the spring or summer of next year. We want to try and add another belt to the bow.

“Certainly victories over Hughie Fury and Tony Bellew or Dillian Whyte would put Joseph (Parker) in a brilliant position to earn a lot of money in the Anthony Joshua fight and put him in a position where that fight is a necessity rather than a potential fight.

Parker defended his WBO title against Razvan Cojanu of Romania in May

“We don’t know whether the Hughie Fury fight will happen, the jury is still out on that one.

“If it doesn’t I think Dillian Whyte’s message is ‘we’re standing by, we’re ready’ and listen Joseph Parker to me looks like a guy who doesn’t mind who he fights.”