Wladimir Klitschko

The former heavyweight champion announced his retirement in August 2017 after he was knocked out in the 11th round by Joshua at Wembley earlier that year.

Joshua, meanwhile, has been searching for a new opponent ahead of his first fight in the United States after Jarrell Miller was forced to pull out due to three failed drugs tests.

In March, Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn revealed that Klitschko had held ‘exploratory’ talks about a possible comeback.

Up until April 2015, Klitschko had only lost three of his 67 professional fights, but he was then beaten by two British fighters - Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua.

His final defeat to Joshua at Wembley was considered by many as a classic heavyweight title fight, with both men sent to the canvas during the bout.

However, in the 11th round there was no way back for Klitschko as Joshua unleashed a barrage of punches that left the Ukrainian beaten.

After listing a diverse range of achievements and business interests, the 41-year-old former two-time world heavyweight champion concluded: "I was capable of doing all this because of the global appeal of the sport of boxing."

Adding "the sport of" before mentioning the name of his chosen profession is a long-established conversational tick of Floyd Mayweather Jr's – an attempt to saddle his perpetual campaign of self-aggrandisement with a sense of higher purpose benefiting the noble art as a whole.

Joshua holds the IBF, IBO and WBA (super) heavyweight belts after knocking out Klitschko in the 11th round of a thrilling contest at Wembley Stadium in April.

Last month, Hearn confirmed Las Vegas was the front-runner to host a rematch and it now appears an official announcement of the fight's location and date may not be long in coming.

Hearn told Sky Sports News: "I've been in Vegas with AJ, officially applying for my Nevada boxing license to promote there and that went well.

Joshua retained his IBF crown and gained the WBA and lesser-regarded IBO belts by stopping Klitschko in the 11th round of an epic battle at Wembley Stadium in April.

The champion is awaiting a decision on the second bout from the 41-year-old Ukrainian, who hinted at retirement following just his fifth career defeat in London.

Promoter Eddie Hearn has held discussions with Klitschko's manager Bernd Bonte and feels a Las Vegas bout could be the key to locking the fight in, though Nigeria, Dubai and Cardiff are also in the hosting mix.

Klitschko had now IBF and WBA heavyweight champion Joshua (19-0-KO19) on the canvas in the sixth round of their clash at Wembley Stadium but eventually succumbed to an 11th-round stoppage.

However, Klitschko (64-5-KO53) says the response to his gladiatorial performance against the British star has left him enthused for his future in the ring.

Both men had to climb off the canvas in an 11-round epic in front of 90,000 at Wembley, but Joshua had the lasting power to pummel Klitschko late on and add the WBA title and less revered IBO belt to his IBF crown.

Klitschko recovered from tasting canvas in the fifth to send Joshua to a first career knockdown a round later, although the Ukrainian veteran could not capitalise and the Brit was able to recover ahead of his late onslaught.

The IBF champion Joshua tipped the scales at 17st 12lbs 2oz, 10 pounds heavier than Klitschko, ahead of the Wembley fight, live on Sky Sports Box Office, with the vacant WBA 'super' title also at stake.

Klitschko was greeted with boos when he made his entrance at Wembley Arena and the 41-year-old seemed to acknowledge the crowd by giving a peace sign after he weighed in at 17st 2lb 6oz.

Joshua followed Klitschko onto the stage, sparking roars of support from thousands of fans, and raised his fist in a triumphant gesture as the weight was announced.

IBF champion Joshua can add the WBA 'super' title with victory over Klitschko in Saturday's heavyweight unification clash, live on Sky Sports Box Office.

A record crowd of 90,000 will attend the fight, which will also be watched by a worldwide audience on television, and Hearn believes the unbeaten 27-year-old could soon be recognised as the most marketable figure in the sport.

"He becomes the biggest star in British sport and the biggest star in world boxing," Hearn told Sky Sports. "It's early in his career, it's his 19th fight, so masses of pressure."

Klitschko, who is entering his 29th world title fight, revealed on Thursday he has made a video of his prediction for their heavyweight bout at Wembley.

That has been saved on a memory stick which will be sewn into his robe.

"It's strategy," said Joshua, 27. "An attempt at a mind game. I didn't take it the way he wanted to express it."

Former heavyweight champion Klitschko, 41, will auction his robe - and its contents - for charity after the Wembley Stadium super fight for Joshua's IBF title and the vacant WBA belt.