Hearn reveals Joshua’s next fight options: Wilder, Witte, Bacole and more.
Eddie Hearn has revealed the eight options he is looking at for Anthony Joshua’s next fight this summer if his primary target Tyson Fury chooses to remain retired.
Fury abruptly retired this week in a surprise move following his Dec. 21 rematch loss to former heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk. Hearn still thinks Wrath isn’t serious and is looking to be lured by a big offer.
Hearn’s list of candidates
If Tyson retires, Hearn says the options below are potential targets for AJ to fight this summer.
– Dillian White
– Joseph Parker
– Daniel Dubois
– Martin Buckley
– Zilei Zhang
– Agit Kabayel
– Deontay Wilder
Some of these names seem unlikely, with Hearn saying Joshua doesn’t want to fight anyone “There is no commercial benefit.” That eliminates Bacall, Zhang, Cabayel and Parker.
AJ’s real options
Joshua (28-4, 25 KOs) is the only fighter on the list to make good money Waite, Deontay and DuBois. Wilder, the 39-year-old former WBC heavyweight champion, looks washed out and has lost four of his last five fights. However, AJ is considered a shot to pieces. So, a fight between him and Deontay wouldn’t be bad. Still, boxing fans would have scoffed at Joshua taking the fight with Wilder. Hearn would not hear the end of it.
“He was ready to fight Bakole. He is ready to fight anyone. We have to look at the big conflicts. I don’t want him to take a hard fight for commercial gain. I wasn’t doing my job,” Eddie Hearn said. A second is out.Talking about Anthony Joshua. He’s not focused on the money, but I am.
“I love Bakole in Africa. Dillian Whyte in London. Deontay in America. Kabyle wins against Zhang. I have no idea, so before anyone says it could be anyone, I’ll tell you names now. Deontay Wilder, Dillian Whyte, Martin Bakole.
“For me, the real pick for him is Tyson Fury and the Dubois winner, Parker. It doesn’t mean he’s not going to pick up for the other fights. He’s going to fight this summer. That’s easy,” Hearn said.
A threat to Bacole
I don’t know why Hearn bothered to mention Martin Bacall’s name because he knew he would never let him near the artist who knocked Joshua out so hard. After Buckley defeated America’s top heavyweight, Jared Anderson, on August 3, Hearn refused to challenge AJ.
“When Bacole called him the other day, I think that was great for AJ. It has been kind in the landfills. Every winner is a loser, and I think that’s got him a little reserve. He was going to fight Bakole. He always did,” Hearn said.
