Hearn, speaking to Sky Sports New HQ, told Hayley McQueen that Fury is currently considered the top target for Joshua, although recent steroid allegations by a UK tabloid are reported to be under investigation.
Should Fury eventually be found guilty, his WBO, WBA and IBO championships would then be passed back to Klitschko, leaving the Ukrainian as the most lucrative option for Hearn and Joshua in 2016.
“The fight that makes sense is the Tyson Fury fight,” Hearn told McQueen. “You know he’s got his own problems at the moment with the stories that have broken. Therefore, the Klitschko fight becomes entertaining for us as we will see what happens with the belts.
“People talk about the David Haye fight, but that’s one for 2017,” added the promoter before stating that mandatory challenger Joseph Parker could get his chance sooner – rather than later.
“Joseph Parker, he’s Anthony Joshua’s mandatory, so if we don’t fight him next – we have to fight him after that,” said Hearn. “That is a great fight for November or December.
“Parker is a hungry, undefeated challenger who can punch, he has speed and he can move. It’s a good match-up with Joshua but the American audience loved the show on Saturday as it went live on Showtime over there.
“There’s a couple of guys over there in (Bermane) Stiverne and (Bryant) Jennings, even (WBC champion Deontay) Wilder is now calling out Anthony Joshua.”
