Hearn reveals Joshua’s next fight options: Wilder, Whyte, Bakole and more

Eddie Hearn revealed the eight potential options being considered for Anthony Joshua’s next fight this summer if his top target Tyson Fury decides to remain retired.

Fury abruptly retired this week in an unexpected move following his loss to unified heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk in their rematch on December 21. Hearn still thinks Fury isn’t serious and is just looking to be lured back with a big offer.

Hearn shortlist

If Tyson remains retired, Hearn says the following options are possible targets for AJ to fight in the summer.

-Dillian Whyte
-Joseph Parker
-Daniel Dubois
– Martin Bakole
-Zhilei Zhang
–Agit Kabayel
-Deontay Wilder

Some of those names would seem unlikely, given that Hearn said he doesn’t want Joshua to fight anyone with “without commercial benefit.” That pretty much rules out Bakole, Zhang, Kabayel and Parker.

AJ’s realistic options

The only fighters on the list that Joshua (28-4, 25 KOs) make good money are Whyte, Deontay and Dubois. Former WBC heavyweight champion Wilder, 39, appears exhausted and has lost four of his last five fights. However, AJ also considers himself devastated. So a fight between him and Deontay wouldn’t be bad. Still, boxing fans would ridicule Joshua if he accepted the fight with Wilder.

“I would be willing to fight Bakole. He is willing to fight anyone. We have to look at the big fights. I don’t want him to accept a tough fight without any commercial benefit. “I wouldn’t be doing my job,” Eddie Hearn told Exit secondstalking about Anthony Joshua. “He’s not that focused on money, but I am.

“I would love Bakole in Africa. Dillian Whyte in London. Deontay in America. The winner of Kabayel against Zhang. I’m just telling you the names now before anyone says they’re a possibility because I have no idea. Deontay Wilder, Dillian Whyte, Martin Bakole.

“For me, the ones that really liven it up are Tyson Fury and the Dubois winner against Parker. That doesn’t mean he won’t get up for the other fights. He’s going to fight this summer. That’s simple,” Hearn said.

Bakole a threat

I don’t know why Hearn bothered mentioning Martin Bakole’s name because he knows he would never let Joshua anywhere near the heavy-handed knockout artist. After the way Bakole destroyed America’s best heavyweight, Jared Anderson, on August 3, Hearn wouldn’t dare allow AJ to fight him.

“When Bakole called him the other day, I think it was pretty good for AJ. He’s been a little depressed. Every winner would be when they defeated him, and I think that gave him a little support. I would be willing to fight Bakole. He always has,” Hearn said.