Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn has announced during an interview with John Dennen of Boxing News that Tony Bellew’s next fight is likely to be either December 9 or December 16.

Hearn said that a rematch against David Haye is still very much on the table, however, negotiations between Bellew and Haye’s camps have been fraught.

“We’re looking at December 9 or 16," Hearn stated.

“Still three or four guys in the mix. Had some good chats with David Haye in Las Vegas and that was dead really before then. Still I wouldn’t say it’s likely. Hopeful is a better word.

“We garner the reaction from fans across social media and everyone seems to want to see that fight again. So I told them, ‘This seems to be the fight with the wide appeal, the most money, the most buys.

“You two should do it, both of you.’ But again it’s ‘I won the first fight, I’m the A-side,’ ‘you got lucky, I done my leg, you’re not really the A-side.’ ‘Well, I am,’

“And the problem was in the first fight Bellew had to give up to a lot of things that he didn’t want to give up to.

“And I actually talked him into that. He didn’t want to take it on the deal that was offered but he did and now he wants to make sure he gets what he wants in the rematch.”

Other potential fights include bouts against Andre Ward, Joseph Parker, Hughie Fury, of which all would be interesting, however, according to Hearn, Ward was overpaid for previous fights and does not see how that can happen, unless Ward and his team are willing to take a substantial pay cut.

As for now; as exciting as it would be to see a Ward-Bellew bout, it seems unlikely with the minimum take home Ward and his negotiation team are asking for and the numbers don’t make sense to Hearn.

“Andre Ward, obviously you’ve Joseph Parker and Hughie Fury. A couple of other heavyweights. Mainly really Parker, Ward and Haye.

“The problem is Andre Ward was drastically overpaid in all his previous fights through RocNation so the minimums that have been set are so unrealistic I don’t see how, unless they’re subsidised, I don’t see how the numbers can make sense.

“But I would love to see Ward-Bellew, I really would. It doesn’t appeal to the casual fans like Bellew-Haye but it is a really good fight.”

So, Bellew looks set to be back in the ring in December, against who though, time will tell.