There's not a single boxing fan that can wait for Anthony Joshua and his endeavours in 2018.

After collecting his first heavyweight title at the age of 26 and executing two routine defences, AJ has proved himself as the man to beat in 2017. 

Joshua KO'd Wladimir Klitschko into retirement under the Wembley Arch in April, collecting the WBA (Super) and IBO titles in the process, before bludgeoning Carlos Takam into submission in October.

And now the name of the game is unification.

That inevitably means bouts with the unbeaten Deontay Wilder and Joseph Parker who hold the WBC and WBO titles respectively.

Negotiations with Wilder are well underway but a number of complications hang over the talks. There's still debate as to whether the fight will be held in the UK or US, how the purse will split and where Dillian Whyte fits into the equation.

As a result, all eyes are on Parker who recently fired up the rivalry with a bizarre press conference in his native New Zealand where he displayed a video of AJ being 'dropped.'

Furthermore, Joshua's promoter - Eddie Hearn - has provided some very positive updates on the prospect of a match in the spring.

"We are single digits, percentages away right now, and we have to be creative. We have to look the revenue streams. We are already talking about potential venues, potential dates, so it's a good sign," he told Sky Sports.

Joshua himself has been taking time off recently in Dubai but has been keeping a close eye on how his 2018 fight plan is panning out and Hearn revealed exactly how the 29-year-old reacted to this latest update.

Hearn continued: "I believe they want the fight. They have done a good job on Anthony Joshua, because his message to me last night was very simple, 'let me at him.'

"He's winding him up, he's pushing the right buttons to get the bite out of Anthony Joshua and Anthony wants to fight Joseph Parker. He wants to do a job on him and we hope it's the next fight for the spring."

Marry that to a slug fest with Wilder in the summer and a Tyson Fury clash that would obliterate the British PPV record and you have yourself the mother of all years in boxing.

If Joshua could mop up the remaining belts and send the 'Gypsy King' to sleep, then his legacy would be guaranteed. 

Who do you think is the best heavyweight in world boxing right now? Have your say in the comments section below.