ANTHONY JOSHUA is ready to accept a step-aside deal to allow Tyson Fury to fight Oleksandr Usyk for the undisputed title.
British superstar AJ had planned to rematch the Ukrainian, having been dethroned of the WBA, IBF and WBO belts in September.
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But talks are ongoing over multi-million pound offers for Joshua, 32, to step aside to allow Fury, 33, and Usyk, 35, to clash for all the belts in the Middle East.
And SunSport understands AJ is open to accepting a deal, with his price believed to be £15million.
It would also allow the two-time champion the chance to take an interim warm-up fight under his new coaching team.
Joshua is yet to confirm whether he will completely switch his training squad or bring in additions to the camp.
Together with head coach Rob McCracken, the pair have won Olympic gold and achieved unified titles in the professional ranks.
But AJ’s promoter Eddie Hearn has admitted it could now be time for a change of approach with Joshua heading into a must-win return.
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WBC champ Fury is mandated to fight fellow Brit Dillian Whyte but the contender is in a legal row with the sanctioning body over his 20 per cent split of the purse.
Whyte, 33, would also need to receive a fee for what would allow the first-ever, four-belt heavyweight unification.
The WBC mandatory challenger is said to be in line for a £5m pay-off if he agrees.
Fury’s US and UK promoters, Bob Arum and Frank Warren, have both admitted Usyk is the opponent they most want to work towards a deal with.
Warren declared: “It’s a saga but if we can keep things between us, we can get something over the line one way or another.
“We are still working on things but I believe over the weekend we will make some progress and then have something to announce.
“Everybody in boxing wants to see the undisputed fight between Tyson and Usyk, I want to see it just as a fan.
“So that is the fight we are trying to make.”
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