Eddie Hearn believes that Anthony Joshua will knock Tyson Fury out when the pair meet in their summer fight.
Joshua and Fury are expected to meet for the first of two fights this summer, ahead of a rematch later in the year.
The Matchroom promoter has been suggesting that an announcement is imminent since the turn of the year, with only minor alterations to be made to the deal already agreed in principle between the two fighters, Bob Arum’s Top Rank, Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions and Hearn’s own organisation.
Hearn said on DAZN’s Ak & Barak Show: “By the end of next week, our plan is to let the world know that both guys have agreed to fight, then we will go to just under a dozen sites that have shown an interest in the fight, and secure the money.
“We don’t want to waste our time, or people’s time, to try to sell a fight that isn’t agreed. We can announce it’s on, you can all get excited.”
Most observers make Fury the clear, if slight, favourite going into the fight, but perhaps unsurprisingly Hearn claimed to be calm about the outcome, even playing down the WBC heavyweight champion’s punching power and suggesting Joshua would knock him out to win.
“It’s a different kind of fight,” Hearn said.
“I know what AJ’s got to do. I’m not saying Fury doesn’t have the power and the sharpness, that’s why I love watching [Andy] Ruiz, because they ping in at a hundred miles an hour. He throws them when you’re throwing them.
“I’m not looking at the Fury fight and saying Fury’s dangerous, I know he can punch, but AJ is the guy who has to be the aggressor, and looking to be dangerous himself, you’ve got to be wary of what’s coming back, but against Ruiz and Wilder you’re looking for one punch.
“I don’t feel the threat in the fight, I feel it in being outfoxed or outmanoeuvred but not the fear, and I'm quietly confident.
“I feel it’s a very tough fight but I think our guy’s going to knock him out.”
You can listen to the entire interview with Eddie Hearn right now on DAZN.