Anthony Joshua v Deontay Wilder in Saudi Arabia 'imminent', says Eddie Hearn

Anthony Joshua's promoter Eddie Hearn is hopeful a mega-fight in Saudi Arabia against Deontay Wilder will be confirmed imminently after the former two-time heavyweight world champion sealed a knockout victory over Robert Helenius in London on Saturday night.

Competing in his second fight of the year – following a lacklustre points win over Jermaine Franklin in April – Joshua was jeered by sections of the crowd inside the O2 Arena during a subdued opening six rounds, before ending the contest with a ferocious overhand right in the seventh.

The victory improves Joshua's professional record to 26 wins from 29 fights, including 23 knockouts.

Joshua had hoped to deliver a statement against Dillian Whyte but his British rival was pulled from the fight after returning an "adverse finding" from a random doping test last weekend. Finland's Helenius then stepped in at the last minute.

The aim now for Joshua and his team is to secure the long-awaited fight against American power-puncher Wilder, and Hearn expects an update soon. Representatives from Saudi Arabia, where Joshua has twice fought for the heavyweight titles, were in attendance hoping to conclude negotiations for a bout in the kingdom for early next year.

"We hope it's imminent," Hearn said. "That's why he wanted the Dillian Whyte fight, it's hard for him to get up to fights like this.

"If he hits Wilder on the chin then it's over. This is about Anthony Joshua now, it's not about pleasing others. He's given everything to British boxing."

A fight between Joshua and Wilder had been discussed in the past, most notably when both fighters collectively held all four heavyweight world titles, although several attempts at negotiations collapsed.

But as Joshua and Wilder aim to