Eddie Hearn has revealed the eight potential options being considered for Anthony Joshua’s next fight this summer if his primary target, Tyson Fury, chooses to retire.
Fury abruptly retired this week in an unexpected move following his loss to unified heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk in their December 21 rematch. Hearn still thinks Fury isn’t serious and is just trying to lure him in with a big offer.
Hearn’s short list
If Tyson remains in retirement, Hearn says the options below are possible targets for AJ to fight in the summer.
– Dillian Whyte
– Joseph Parker
– Daniel Dubois
– Martin Bakole
– Zhilei Zhang
– Acts Kabaiel
– Deontay Wilder
Some of these names will seem unlikely, as Hearn has said he doesn’t want Joshua to fight anyone. “no commercial benefit”. That pretty much rules out Bakole, Zhang, Kabaiel and Parker.
AJ’s realistic options
The only fighters on the list that Joshua (28-4, 25 KOs) to make good money are Whyte, Deontay and Dubois. Former WBC heavyweight champion Wilder, 39, looks washed out and has lost four of his last five fights. However, AJ is also considered shot to pieces. So a fight between him and Deontay wouldn’t be bad. Still, boxing fans would ridicule Joshua if he took the fight with Wilder. Hearn would never hear the end of it.
“I would be willing to fight Bakole. He is ready to fight anybody. We have to watch the big fights. I don’t want him to take a tough fight without commercial benefit. It wouldn’t do my job,” said Eddie Hearn secondsouttalking about anthony joshua. “It’s not focused on money, but I am.
“I’d like Bakole in Africa. Dillian Whyte in London. Deontay in America. The winner of Kabayel against Zhang. I’ll just tell you the names now before someone says they’re a possibility because I have no idea. Deontay Wilder, Dillian Whyte , Martin Bakole.
“For me, the ones who really got it done are Tyson Fury and the winner of Dubois against Parker. It doesn’t mean he won’t get up for other fights. He’ll fight this summer. It’s simple,” Hearn said.
Bakole a threat
I don’t know why Hearn bothered to mention Martin Bakole’s name because he knows he will never let Joshua near the knock-out artist. After the way Bakole destroyed America’s best heavyweight, Jared Anderson, on August 3rd, Hearn wouldn’t dare allow AJ to fight.
“When Bakole called him the other day, I think it was pretty good for AJ. He was a little in the dumps. Every winner would be when they are beaten, and I think he had his support a little. Il serait prêt a fight against Bakole He always did,” Hearn said.
