Deontay Wilder has excitedly revealed a boxing match with Anthony Joshua is the 'closest it's ever been'.
The two men have long wanted to meet each other in the ring but, to this point, have been unable to come to an agreement.
Wilder is facing Joseph Parker this weekend, while Joshua is primed to lock horns with Otto Wallin on the same card in Saudi Arabia.
If both men emerge victorious, then that boosts the chances of a showdown happening in 2024.
Boxing news: Deontay Wilder says Anthony Joshua fight is the 'closest it's ever been'
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And Wilder, speaking to Sky Sports, has claimed a fight with Joshua is now the 'closest it's ever been'.
"That's the biggest fight in the world," the American, who has lost twice to Tyson Fury in recent years, told Sky Sports.
"Now the moment has come where it's the closest that it's ever been in history right now. The closest that it's ever been.
"I'm excited to say that. I'm not 100 per cent sure that it's going to happen.
"There's a lot of things that have gone on, a lot of things that have been done.
"You can't be 100 per cent until that bell rings and that first punch has been thrown."
Talk of the pair first settling their differences first arose in 2018.
And Wilder has shed light on why a potential showdown has been pushed back for so many years, adding: "It's been that way for a very long time.
"That fight, it's a situation where it's been hot and cold and every time the talks happened, it always gets back hot and then somehow it would die back down, it don't happen.
"If I said I wasn't frustrated I would be lying. It definitely has been a frustrating time and moment for me.
"In my eyes you've got one fighter that really, really wants it and then on the other side you've got another fighter that don't want it equally as bad as the other."
For now, Wilder's immediate focus is on Parker.
His New Zealand rival has been getting help and advice from Fury, who is preparing for his own showdown with Oleksandr Usyk.
And Wilder has made it clear the prospect of a fight with Joshua won't cloud his mind as he prepares for yet another big night.
"You definitely don't want to take anyone for granted," the Bronze Bomber continued.
Boxing news: Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder have been tipped to fight for a number of years
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"You don't want to look past anyone. I'm not looking past Joseph.
"There are a lot of talks about other things that's not related to him and I want people to understand I'm not looking past him.
"Sometimes it's okay to look through a fighter.
"It's just like window shopping you're going to the mall and you see that nice outfit or shoes or anything that you want, you're just window shopping right until it's time to be able to get it.
"So I'm window shopping but I'm not looking past him.
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"Right now it's about Joseph Parker and me getting him out the way and then we'll see what happens from that point on."
Joshua has won 26 of his 29 career fights so far.
He has lost twice to Oleksandr Usyk, while he also failed to beat Andy Ruiz in 2019.
Wilder, meanwhile, has fought 46 times - winning 43, losing twice and drawing the other.
