Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury will consider dropping their world heavyweight titles to secure a mega fight next year, according to Eddie Hearn.

Joshua's promoter Hearn revealed earlier this week there are only 'a few small issues that need ironing out' before they can finalise the blockbuster heavyweight fight after holding positive talks with Bob Arum.

One of the major stumbling blocks will be convincing the governing bodies to put aside mandatory defences to allow Joshua and Fury fight for the undisputed crown. Joshua currently holds the WBA, WBO, IBO and IBF world titles while Fury is the WBC champion. 

The WBO president Paco Valcarcel has already hinted that Joshua would have to fight their No 1-ranked heavyweight Oleksandr Usyk before Fury or vacate the title following his knockout victory over Kubrat Pulev.

Both camps are keen for all the belts to be on the line so they can have the opportunity to become the first undisputed heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis in the early 2000s, but Hearn admitted that making the fight is the priority and will happen with or without the world titles.

'We have a fight on our hands, and sorry to the governing bodies, that eclipses all belts,' Hearn said. 

'We've just got to be a bit careful because you may be on the verge of saying: "Let's just get rid of politics right now. Let's just drop all the belts because if we lose one belt, we might as well lose them all."

'You've got the biggest fight in world boxing, You are paying each governing body hundreds of thousands of dollars. Now you have got another guy (Usyk) who probably wants seven figures to step aside.

'We have just got to be careful because ultimately the aim of this fight has always been to be for the undisputed championship.

'We will do whatever we can to make sure that every belt in boxing is on the line in the Tyson Fury fight.

'What we won't be is held to ransom and we won't let politics get involved in a fight that boxing needs.'

Fury's co-promoter Frank Warren raised hopes a deal would be done by saying this week the only thing that could prevent the fight from happening was 'egos'. 

Matchroom boss Hearn added: 'We're just trying to solve any remaining issues of the fight, of which there aren't many, to be honest with you.

'We're trying to move forward collectively to let the governing bodies know we plan to stage this fight probably in May and would like this to be for the undisputed heavyweight championship of the world.

'There's a few small issues to iron out but I think we can start looking at drawing up contracts and try to get this moving.'