Eddie Hearn, the promoter of Nigerian-born British heavyweight boxer, Anthony Joshua, said his client is open to facing Tyson Fury as he continues to consider his next move in the boxing world.
Anthony Joshua faces an extended wait for his eagerly anticipated showdown with Fury, as he carefully plans his comeback following an embarrassing defeat to Daniel Dubois.
The knockout loss, which occurred in the fifth round at Wembley Stadium in September, marked a significant setback for Joshua and has left him grappling with how to regain his footing in the highly competitive heavyweight division.
Despite this recent defeat, Joshua is still considered "arguably the biggest star in the heavyweight division," according to Eddie Hearn.
Hence, Hearn remains optimistic about a potential clash between Joshua and Fury, suggesting that regardless of the outcome of Fury's clash with Oleksandr Usyk on December 21, Fury would be interested in facing Joshua next.
"I think Fury, win or lose, will want to fight AJ next, and that's something we've got to decide," Hearn remarked in an interview with Sky Sports, hinting that there may still be hope for this long-awaited all-British bout.
However, Frank Warren, who co-promotes Tyson Fury, has expressed scepticism regarding Joshua's immediate prospects in the division. He underscored the need for Joshua to rebuild his credibility among fans and promoters alike.
"He's got to establish some credibility, AJ, that's for sure," Warren stated, emphasizing the considerable challenges that lie ahead for Joshua as he seeks to secure high-profile matchups once again.
The road back to championship contention appears fraught with obstacles for Joshua. A rematch with Dubois, which Joshua is keen on pursuing, has already been dismissed as a realistic option in the immediate future.
Warren has confirmed that Dubois is set to defend his IBF heavyweight title on February 22 against an opponent who has yet to be announced, with negotiations currently taking place regarding the champion's next bout.
"I don't see that (the Joshua rematch) happening next, so we are looking at a couple of things at the moment. I was hoping that we could get it done fairly quickly, but we won't be able to get it done fairly quickly," Warren explained in an interview with BoxNation.
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