Eddie Hearn Chalks Out Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury, and Other Futures in Heavyweight Division

Fans should feel a bit relieved. Beginning with May 18, ‘Ring of Fire’, the heavyweight chessboard now appears somewhat neat and tidy. There’s Oleksandr Usyk, the man at the top, the new undisputed champion. Then Daniel Dubois stands behind as the new (interim) IBF champion. So, to all appearances, fans can foretell that the next moves will revolve around the two champions. But still, to make the picture clearer, Eddie Hearn seems to have put in order a set piece. If that comes into force, then both fans and boxers would have him alone to thank.

The Matchroom boss suffered a setback. But the drubbing received at Queensberry and Matchroom Boxing’s 5 vs. 5 in Riyadh doesn’t seem to have dampened the Englishman’s spirits. He is back with a bang. In an interview with talkSPORT, he laid out plans for the coming months, and perhaps the new year could pan out for boxing’s glamour division.

Speaking with Andy Goldstein, MBE, on ‘Drive’, Eddie Hearn shared that Anthony Joshua might headline the event at the Wembley Stadium tentatively on September 21. They planned to hold a presser by June 26. So he listed the names who stand a good chance going against ‘AJ’. First, it was Daniel Dubois. If he ends up becoming a full IBF heavyweight title holder and then loses a fight to ‘AJ’, then the latter might become a world champion for the third time.

The Hearns mentioned Zhilei Zhang and Joseph Parker as well. But, “if the belts are lying and everything makes sense, Dubois could be the runner,” he said. However, Andy Goldstein had his doubts. “What needs to happen for that belt to be given up?” he asked.

The Matchroom honcho then explained that it basically boils down to how Oleksandr Usyk, the current IBF title holder, wishes to proceed further. With Dubois as the interim champion and the mandatory challenger now, the Ukrainian champion should fight him next. But then the fact remains that he already has a rematch with Tyson Fury scheduled for December 21. So how to proceed further?

Eddie Hearn explained, “I think the way that it will line up is potentially is AJ and Dubois fight for the I.B.F. title Fury and Usyk fight for everything else, and then next spring spring sort of April, May time perhaps the winners could fight the winners again for undisputed.”

The Eddie Hearn Approach to ‘AJ’s Undisputed Pursuit

Goldstein shared a misgiving about whether ‘The Gypsy King’ and ‘The Cat’ might proceed with a trilogy. Hearn, however, remained skeptical over its chances. He said, “I think that you know everything that we’re hearing from His Excellency (HE Turki Alalshikh) about the potential of AJ fighting the winner of Fury-Usyk if he wins it September, and let’s be honest, if Fury wins, you know becomes undisputed or unified again, we have to make the AJ fight.”

Of course, there’s always the flip side. If Oleksandr Usyk wins the rematch and Anthony Joshua clears the Dubois test, then fans would indeed witness a trilogy fight. But then it presents a golden chance for the English boxer to avenge the two losses while grabbing the crown! Even if temporarily, Deontay Wilder and Filip Hrgovic now appear out of the equation. Andy Ruiz Jr. will return from his long break in August only. So, as Hearn explained, a win over either Dubois, Zhang, or Parker would take ‘AJ’ to the pole position. What will happen next, fate alone can tell.

What’s your take on the Eddie Hearn plan? Please share your views with us in the comments below.