‘Deontay Wilder or Tyson Fury Are Nailed On for 2023’: Eddie Hearn Reveals Big Plans for Anthony Joshua This Year

2022 will probably go down as one of those years Anthony Joshua wished never existed. He handed over the WBA (Super), IBF, WBO, and IBO Heavyweight titles to the Ukrainian Oleksandr Usyk on 25th September 2021.

For all the criticisms he received for the first bout, AJ was confident that his performance was above par during the rematch. However, more was needed. After all, he stood against a foe whose agility and footwork, combined with his supremely gifted left hand, made him one of the masters of the sport. Heartbroken, Joshua, unarguably the more visible face of British boxing, has been looking for opportunities to stage an impressive comeback. Mid-way through the year, talks of a fight against Tyson Fury did raise fans’ hopes. But as the negotiations went haywire, canards on the next course of action flooded in.

For Anthony Joshua, Eddie Hearn has some big ideas

It was the turn of AJ’s friend and fight promoter Eddie Hearn to take the wheel. It seems that Hearn has mapped out a strategy to pull Joshua back to the higher echelons of the heavyweight division. Akin Reyes, more popularly AK, hosts The DAZN Boxing Show along with Kamal Barak Bess. AK asked the Matchroom boss, the show’s guest, “At one point, the communication was, you know, pretty much not happening with his team. I know you communicated with Shelley Finkel…….are you optimistic about it right now?”

His apparent reference was to Sheldon’ Shelly’ Finkel. The seventy-eight-year-old promotes the likes of Deontay Wilder and Wladimir Klitschko through his firm SFX.

Read More: He Is Blaming the Trainer for Not Performing’: Anthony Joshua, Infamous for Changing Trainers, Told to Settle Down

Hearn responded that he and Finkel are in constant contact with each other. The Matchroom boss alluded to Andy Ruiz Jr.‘s fight against Deontay Wilder. If that fight doesn’t materialize, the road to the Wilder – AJ fight should be free. Hopefully, Joshua’s readiness will not be open to discussion by April. He explained further that contrary to popular belief, he and AJ wish to direct their efforts towards building a ‘momentum’ rather than ‘rebuilding.’ 

He said, “I’am not talking about a fight against someone you’ve never heard of. I’am talking about a top 15 guy that AJ can go in, work with a new training team and have a big stadium fight in the summer…” Not ruling out AJ might end up fighting more than one bout this year, Eddie Hearn emphasized the plan he envisages for this friend and promotee.

AJ will get the big fights he wants

He continued, “But this is also a very important moment that we must get right. And you know those lines of communication are open with Deontay Wilder. We know it’s a huge fight… And that’s the fight you know, I truly believe Deontay Wilder or Tyson Fury are nailed on for 2023…”

According to Hearn, AJ doesn’t want to waste his time on three or four meaningless scraps. He’ll follow the advice of his training team. But he has already demonstrated that he belongs to the big boy league.

Apparently, the six feet and six inches tall Briton needs a coaching staff to augment any campaign. After the initial loss to Usyk, he parted ways with Rob McCracken, his longtime trainer. Robert Garcia filled in the vacant spot later. However, after suffering another setback to the Ukrainian, Joshua seeks a new trainer. Though unconfirmed, reports of Joshua training with Derrick James, who also trains Jermell Charlo and Errol Spence Jr., abound.

Whatever is said and done, time is not a luxury the thirty-three-year-old can afford to lose. So Anthony Joshua needs to make a decision soon.

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