In the coming months, Anthony Joshua will be a free agent - with his promotional contract coming to an end and his network deal with Sky Sports expiring as well.

Eddie Hearn, head of Matchroom Sport, recently confirmed that his company had signed a five-year global rights deal with streaming service DAZN.

Joshua, who is Hearn's biggest company star, is not a part of that deal - because the British star is still under contract with Sky Sports.

Joshua owes one more fight to the network and to Hearn.

Joshua's final obligation with both, as far as the current contracts, will likely be a mandatory defense of the WBO, IBF, IBO, WBA titles against Oleksandr Usyk in the month of August.

Beyond that, Hearn is confident that Joshua will extend his promotional pact with Matchroom, but he's not fully positive on where the British star will end up with respect to his network alliance.

One thing is for sure, says Hearn, he will not attempt to pressure Joshua on his network decision.

“I am absolutely sure that AJ stays with me and there will be an announcement in due course about AJ’s relationship with Matchroom. I know that our relationship ends when AJ hangs up his gloves," Hearn said.

“In terms of his broadcast deal there is no pushing or guiding of Anthony Joshua to DAZN from us. That is a decision for us, him and his management company 258 and him to look at the market and the opportunities. He is the biggest star in British boxing and potentially world boxing.

“I cannot speak for DAZN but I am sure they would like to welcome him to the platform and they already show his fights globally. But AJ has a great relationship with Sky and I am sure they will be keen to extend that relationship beyond whatever fight happens in August or September.”