Former super middleweight champion Carl Froch is hoping a deal gets finalized for a full division unification between heavyweight champions Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury.

On Saturday night, Joshua retained the WBA, IBF, IBO, WBO world titles with a ninth round knockout of mandatory challenger Kubrat Pulev.

Fury, the WBC champion, is currently not scheduled to fight - after pushing back a return that was scheduled for December 5.

The two boxers agreed in principle earlier this year, on the financial terms for a two-fight series in 2021.

There are only two hurdles out there, which may or may not prevent a deal from being locked in.

Oleksandr Usyk is the WBO's mandatory challenger and the boxer from Ukraine is currently not willing to budge away from that position.

And Deontay Wilder has initiated a legal action to enforce a rematch clause with Fury. Both sides are currently in mediation as they hope for a ruling on the matter before the year is over.

Froch believes the only fight out there for Joshua is a showdown with Fury.

"I think the only guy out there for him now is the Tyson Fury fight," said Froch to Sky Sports.

"It's kind of the only fight that the crowd are going to accept and it's the fight that the people want. It's almost like ancient Rome in the Colosseum, when the crowd have spoken. The fans that follow Anthony Joshua, they want to see the Tyson Fury fight.

"He's got Oleksandr Usyk for the WBO mandatory, that's an option. There's still question marks. Is Tyson Fury in his head, on his mind?

"Eddie Hearn said there, 'Tomorrow morning we're on the phone. We're making that fight.' Let's see if it happens, but that really is the fight that we need to see now."