Anthony Joshua will fight Alexander Povetkin at Wembley on September 22nd with his fourth stadium fight in succession bringing his total live audience for those spectaculars close to 350,000.
The confirmation that Joshua will fulfil his WBA mandatory defence against Povetkin will come as no surprise.
The 28-year-old has been in training while negotiations with Wilder stalled and he has now admitted he can’t wait to return to action.
‘I can’t wait to get back in the ring. The end of March feels a long time ago now,’ said Joshua, who beat Joseph Parker by unanimous points decision in Cardiff on March 31.
‘Povetkin is a serious challenge that I will prepare meticulously for. He has serious pedigree and only a fool would underestimate what he brings to the table.
‘Training hasn’t stopped for me, but the next 10 weeks ahead will be intense both mentally and physically. I will push myself to breaking point to make sure I am in peak condition for another huge night for British boxing at Wembley Stadium on September 22nd.’
Negotiations for the contest with Wilder to find the first undisputed heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis has been bogged down in retracted and bitter trans-Atlantic arguments.
Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn insists that his $15m (£11.3m) offer to Wilder remains on the table for another Wembley date next April.
If that stand-off can eventually be resolved, Hearn revealed to Sportsmail that discussions are underway to enable a capacity in excess of 100,000.
That would eclipse the British record of 90,000 set by Joshua’s clash with Wladimir Klitschko at the stadium in 2017.
Hearn told Sportsmail: ‘The plan is Povetkin on the 22nd and then Wilder on the 13th (April) if he gets around to signing the contract.
‘This is where Joshua wants to be and we are looking forward to two great nights of boxing, with 90,000 at Wembley in September and plans for a capacity of more than 100,000 for April.’
Joshua continues to build on his astonishing gate numbers for which he laid the foundation for his epic Wembley battle with the legendary Klitsckho and continued to build with subsequent defences at Cardiff’s Principality stadium.