Klitschko wants to come out of retirement and face Anthony Joshua as Wilder faces Tyron Fury rematch

NIGERIAN-born world heavyweight boxing champion Anthony Oluwafemi Oluseni Joshua is facing a dilemma as Ukrainian Wladimir Klitschko is angling for a rematch with him while the champ wants to face American Deontay Wilder in the spring.

In September, Joshua, 28, became the World Boxing Association (WBA), International Boxing Federation (IBF), International Boxing Organisation (IBO) and World Boxing Organisation champion after beating Klitscko. He is now angling for a unification fight with World Boxing Council (WBC) champion Deontay Wilder, which if he wins will make him the undisputed world champion.

Joshua has his heart set on the blockbuster clash but now finds himself in no man’s land with the WBC champion keen to restart negotiations with Tyson Fury following their controversial split-decision draw in Los Angeles earlier this month. While this is going on, Klitschko is contemplating a sensational return to boxing and has been in talks with Joshua over a potential rematch.

Klitschko hung up his gloves after being stopped by Joshua in a epic clash at Wembley last year but now seems tempted by the possibility of getting a second bite at the cherry amid uncertainty over the champion's next opponent. Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn is narrowing down the list of options as they look for a credible name to fight at Wembley on April 13 and he admitted that Klitschko is keen to throw his name into the hat.

Mr Hearn said: “He wants to come back. I think he sent Anthony Joshua a text and said I wanna come back, I feel like I can beat everybody in the division right now."

Attempts to lure Klitschko out of retirement over the past year had fallen on deaf ears but the Ukrainian now appears to be seriously considering it with a shot at redemption on the cards. However, as things stand, the winner of the Dillian Whyte and Dereck Chisora’s grudge rematch later this month appear the obvious choice for the April 13 slot against Joshua, although Mr Hearn remains optimistic of convincing Wilder to cross the pond in a battle for the undisputed championship.

Wilder and Fury have both expressed a desire to have their rematch in the new year after their intriguing heavyweight contest ended in a draw. Despite this, Hearn is still targeting Wilder as Joshua’s next opponent but is not yet willing to rule out a number of other options.

Mr Hearn added: “Joshua has always wanted to fight Deontay Wilder and he wants to fight him now. He wants to become the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world and the only way either fighter can do that is to fight each other.

“Currently it’s Deontay Wilder, that’s what we want but it might be Tyson Fury. It might be the winner of Whyte vs Chisora, it might be Oleksandr Usyk and it might be Jarrell Miller, as everything’s in play.”