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

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

Fury suddenly 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 looking to be lured in with a big offer.

Hearn’s short list

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, as Hearn said he doesn’t want Joshua to fight anyone. “no commercial benefit”. That pretty much rules out Bakole, Zhang, Kabayel and Parker.

AJ realistic options

The only fighters on the list that Joshua (28-4, 25 KOs) has made good money with are Whyte, Deontay and Dubois. Former WBC heavyweight champion Wilder, 39, looks worn down and has lost four of his last five fights. However, AJ also considers himself broken to pieces. So a fight between him and Deontay wouldn’t be bad. Still, boxing fans would ridicule Joshua if he fights Wilder. Hearn would never hear the end of it.

“I’d be willing to fight Bakole. He’s willing to fight anybody. We’ve got to look at the big fights. I don’t want him to take a tough fight without any commercial benefit. It wouldn’t be doing my job,” said Eddie Hearn secondsouttalking about anthony joshua. “He’s not so focused on the money, but I am.

“I’d love Bakole in Africa. Dillian Whyte in London. Deontay in America. The winner of Kabayel vs. Zhang. I’m just naming you 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 lift him up are Tyson Fury and the winner of Dubois vs. Parker. It 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 even bothered to mention Martin Bakole’s name because he knows he would never let Joshua get close to the knockout artist. After the way Bakole destroyed America’s top heavyweight, Jared Anderson, on August 3rd, Hearn wouldn’t dare allow AJ to fight him.

“When Bakole called him the other day, I think that was really good for AJ. He’s been in the dumps a little bit. All winners would be when they’re beaten, and I think that gave him a little bit of a boost. He would be willing to fight Bakole. He always has,” Hearn said.