Anthony Joshua and Eddie Hearn meet with Saudi boxing boss as he is lined up for December 23 fight along with Wilder

ANTHONY JOSHUA and Eddie Hearn met with the Saudi Arabia boxing boss after being lined up to return on December 23.

Initially, Tyson Fury had signed to fight Oleksandr Usyk for the undisputed crown in a Christmas cracker.

Anthony Joshua with Saudi’s Turki Alalshikh and promoter Eddie Hearn

But eight weeks before the target date, Fury, 35, was dropped and given the fight of his life against ex-UFC champion Francis Ngannou, 37.

He controversially walked away with a points win but his title unification against Usyk, 36, has been postponed till February.

Turki Alalshikh – in charge of boxing in Saudi – still wants a December 23 shot to go ahead in absence of the undisputed showdown.

And now Joshua is in talks to fight on the bill with Deontay Wilder also on the card in a separate bout.

Speculation that AJ is nearing a deal to return next month only strengthened when he was pictured with Alalshikh and promoter Hearn.

It is believed Joshua, 34, is lined up to face Otto Wallin, 32, who in 2019 gave Fury 47 stitches despite losing on points.

And Wilder, 38, is said to be nearing a deal with Joseph Parker, 31, the ex-WBO champion who won on the Ngannou undercard in October.

The card is shaping up to be a blockbuster with Daniel Dubois, 25, rumoured to be in talks with disgraced drug cheat Jarrell Miller, 35.

Heavyweights Martin Bakole, 30, and Filip Hrgovic, 31, is another touted matchup.

And undefeated WBA light-heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol, 32, could face Richard Rivera, 32.

An announcement on the Saudi card could come as early as tomorrow.

Deontay Wilder could fight on the same card as Anthony Joshua in Saudi ArabiaGETTY