Boxing
Nick Parkinson 6y

Old Trafford, Cardiff or Twickenham could host Anthony Joshua-Joseph Parker

Boxing

Three UK venues are being considered for the potential world heavyweight title unification fight between Anthony Joshua and Joseph Parker.

Joshua's promoter Eddie Hearn told ESPN that Cardiff's Principality Stadium, Manchester's Old Trafford and Twickenham in southwest London are in the frame for what would be Joshua's fifth title defense, likely to be March 31 or April 7.

Talks are at an advanced stage for IBF-WBA world champion Joshua, 28, to face New Zealand's unbeaten Parker, 25, who made a second successful defense of his WBO title against Hughie Fury in Manchester on Sep. 23.

"It's looking likely it will be Parker next, we're hoping it will get done for late March or early April," Hearn said.

"It's a good fight between to unbeaten heavyweight champions, and it's a fight we want next; then we want [Deontay] Wilder. It will be over here. There are plenty of cities and countries that want to hold Anthony Joshua fights, but this is our market and we drive great numbers here.

"The aim for the Parker fight is to hold it here. Twickenham, Old Trafford and the Millennium Stadium [now known as the Principality Stadium] are all up for discussion.

"The Millennium Stadium is great for the roof, but as you go into April you get a bit more security with the weather, so they are a few options we are looking at."

The Principality Stadium is the most likely venue after it attracted a crowd of 78,000, a record for an indoor boxing event, for Joshua's last fight against Carlos Takam on Oct. 28.

Twickenham, the 82,000-seater home of England's rugby team, has yet to hold a live boxing event while Manchester United's home ground -- capacity 75,000 -- attracted a then record crowd of 42,000 for the super-middleweight world title fight between Nigel Benn and Chris Eubank in October 1993. United are currently scheduled to play Swansea City at Old Trafford on March 31.

Hearn is in talks with Parker's promoter David Higgins, who wants more than a 70-30 split in Joshua's favour.

Joshua's two fights in 2017 have been record-breakers in terms of attendance. The biggest boxing crowd in Britain since the Second World War -- 90,000 -- saw Joshua add the WBA belt to his IBF title in a thrilling 11th round win over former champion Wladimir Klitschko on April 29 before his victory over Takam in Cardiff.

Wilder (39-0, 38 KOs), 32, from Alabama, holds the WBC title and has declared his intention to face Joshua (20-0, 20 KOs) next year.

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