Anthony Joshua has been told to sidestep his fight with Kubrat Pulev or risk scuppering a showdown with Tyson Fury in what has been described as the biggest event in British sport since the 1966 World Cup final.
Fury cemented his position as the No.1 heavyweight on the planet on Saturday night when he crushed Deontay Wilder inside seven brutal rounds at the MGM Grand Garden Arena here in Las Vegas.
The previously undefeated American, rated by many as the most fearsome puncher who ever lived, was dropped twice and left bloodied and confused before his corner threw the towel in to stop the punishment.
As a result, Fury became the WBC champion meaning that all four major heavyweight titles currently reside in Britain given Joshua's status as WBA, WBO and IBF king.
The English pair sparred once before when Joshua was an amateur and Fury was an emerging professional star but their paths have not crossed since then. Now a showdown between them is arguably the biggest fight that could be made in boxing.
However there are many hurdles to overcome before a Fury-Joshua encounter would become reality. Fury is obliged to face Wilder in a third fight should the Alabama puncher decide to exercise the option in their contract.
Meanwhile Joshua, who won his belts back by beating Andy Ruiz Jr in Saudi Arabia in December, seems set to face his IBF mandatory challenger Kubrat Pulev this June.
Now Fury's promoter Frank Warren has suggested that Joshua puts a line through his plan to face the Bulgarian, who would spoil everything if he were to upset AJ like Ruiz did.
Warren said: “The stumbling block is he has to fight Pulev.
“The stumbling block for that fight is that his chin is made of old Waterford Crystal and we will see what happens with that. If anyone clips him he will go.
“If I was him I wouldn't fight [Pulev]. I would even vacate the belts to get it on. He should not take the risk. I'd prefer him not to take the risk, I'd prefer Wilder not to take the rematch and let's get it on.
“That would be the biggest sporting event to take place in the UK since England winning the World Cup. You would not be able to get a ticket for it.
“The whole country would stop for that fight.”
However, Warren also admitted that it is unlikely that any fight between Fury and Joshua would take place in London even though they would be able to sell out Wembley Stadium in minutes.
More revenue would be generated should the fight take place in Las Vegas while, with members of the Saudi Arabian royal family in attendance at the MGM Grand on Saturday, there is every chance a mega-money from the Middle East would blow all others out of the water.
Warren added: “In a dream world, it is Tyson Fury versus Anthony Joshua in London. But they are professional athletes and no different to a Gareth Bale or Aaron Ramsey leaving their football clubs to make big money elsewhere.
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“I don't know where the fight would take place, wherever the most money is. The boxers are the ones that get in the ring, they are the ones who make the choice. I was sat next to the [Saudi] Prince for the fight so we will see what happens.
“But the fact is Joshua is spoilt goods. We saw what happened in New York in the first fight with Ruiz and he come back and beat a guy who trained in his fridge.
“I'm not taking anything away from Joshua he trained well and did his job. Come on, this is different gravy with Tyson. He is the No.1 heavyweight and Joshua is in the slipstream. We would probably be
generous and give him 30 per cent of the split with Tyson taking 70.”