Anthony Joshua-Joseph Parker fight could decide the heavyweight division's future

— -- With the announcement of Anthony Joshua-Joseph Parker, heavyweight boxing is tidying itself up and setting up the possibility of an undisputed champion.

Cleaning up the world heavyweight titles and holding all four belts eluded the likes of Lennox Lewis, Evander Holyfield, Mike Tyson, Riddick Bowe and Wladimir Klitschko.

But in 2018, boxing could have its first WBC-WBA-IBF-WBO world heavyweight champion if -- and it's a big "if" -- the fights get made and the world governing bodies do not insist on mandatory defenses to scupper unification fights.

It could be just two fights away.

Following the announcement of Joshua-Parker for the WBA, IBF and WBO world titles on March 31 at Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales, confirmation came last Friday that WBC champion Deontay Wilder is to face Luis Ortiz at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, on March 3.

Joshua and Wilder are favorites to win their fights, but it is not as simple as them both progressing from semifinals to meet each other in a final for four world title belts by the end of 2018.

Here, ESPN looks at what the announcement of Joshua-Parker means for the heavyweight division.

Why Joshua-Parker is such an important fight