Anthony Joshua returns to action this weekend, live exclusively on DAZN, as he takes on late replacement, Robert Helenius.
Victory is vital for Joshua as he continues his rebuild but is the British fighter set to face Deontay Wilder next?
Here's a rundown of everything that's been reported, rumoured and discussed so far - it hasn't been made a certainty as of press time, but there's a lot of promising signs that fans could one day soon get a very exciting heavyweight dream bout.
Why is Anthony Joshua fighting Robert Helenius?
Joshua had been set to face former foe, Dillian Whyte, but an adverse finding in Whyte’s drug test meant the fight was called off.
Joshua, eager to stay busy, chose to select an alternative opponent and Robert Helenius is the man who got the call.
Is Anthony Joshua set to face Deontay Wilder next?
That’s the plan. There’s been plenty of talk in recent week regarding Joshua and Wilder finally meeting in December this year, but there is also the possibility that the fight could take place in early 2024 with Saudi Arabia likely to host the bout.
Will Anthony Joshua still face Deontay Wilder if he loses to Robert Helenius?
Absolutely not. Eddie Hearn, the promoter of Joshua, appeared on Talksport in July and confirmed that if Joshua was to lose to Whyte, then the Wilder fight wouldn't take place.
With Helenius seen as a more routine task than Whyte, a loss to the Finnish star could be catastrophic for Joshua and would instantly shatter any hopes regarding a possible Wilder fight.
When will Anthony Joshua vs. Deontay Wilder be announced?
If Joshua is successful against Helenius, then the attention will immediately turn to Joshua vs. Wilder.
Talks have been ongoing regarding the fight taking place this year but that’s still not confirmed to happen with January also being mentioned.
With talks with both fighters already taking place, it appears the bulk of the work in getting this fight agreed has already been completed.
The biggest fights always take the most time to become confirmed and they don’t come much bigger than Joshua vs. Wilder. It could still be a matter of weeks before everything is finalised, but Joshua vs. Wilder is certainly the target for all involved.