Anthony Joshua’s immediate future is taking shape.
The return of the former heavyweight president is said to have been pushed back to February or March. If he wins that match, he is expected to face Dillian Whyte in a rematch next summer.
Longtime rival Chris Arreola said he has contacted Joshua’s pitchers to be his next opponent. However, Eddie Hearn, Joshua’s promoter, insists he has not yet negotiated with the American boxer.
Otto Wallin is also expected to be considered early next year.
Joshua appears to be on track to face WBC heavyweight boxer and British rival Tyson Fury in a superfight in December of this year. However, the negotiations broke down.
Fury is scheduled to face Derek Chisora for the third time on December 3 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London. An announcement is set for Thursday. And he could be aiming for co-titler Oleksandr Usyk for the undisputed championship next year.
Joshua (24-3, 22 KOs) is about to lose to Usyk. A meeting with Fury would give him a chance to regain his place at the top of the division in one fell swoop but it would be a dangerous fight.
Instead, he will obviously face an inferior opponent next and then Whyte.
Hearn is confirmed with Metro.co.uk Whyte is the man Joshua is targeting for the summer. He also mentioned a potential fight between Joshua and Deontay Wilder, another former title holder.
“Sure, it’s a fight we all want,” Hearn said, referring to Joshua vs Whyte. … “The two biggest battles outside of the world title war are the Dillian Whyte battle, which has to happen. It’s a big stadium fight next summer.
“The other is Deontay Wilder, arguably the biggest fight in boxing, even bigger than Fury vs Usyk in every way. Two big games and whoever has the belt in the summer, we’ll be targeting as well.”
He continued: “The fight with Dillian Whyte was definitely easier to do than the fight with Wilder. But they always want to get paid as much as possible.
“But I think it was pretty easy for me to do that fight. AJ wants that fight, Dillian wants that fight, and it’s a fight we’re sure to see next summer.”
Fury stopped Whyte for six rounds this past April.
