Who is Anthony Joshua fighting next? This question has pushed every fan into a heated debate as they discuss the practicalities and the opportunity cost. It boils down to two names—Tyson Fury and Daniel Dubois. Each option has incentives, but it’s not without caveats as well.

Joshua, 35, is coming off a brutal knockout loss to Dubois, 27, as he dropped the chance to be a three-time world champion. While there were rumors of an immediate rematch, Eddie Hearn shunned those. Instead, they decided to weigh their options after the conclusion of Oleksandr Usyk vs. Fury. If the British promoter is to be believed, the “natural fight” for ‘Gypsy King’ would be against ‘AJ’. Why is that?

Hearn, 45, explained Joshua, 28-4, would help Tyson, 36, rack up close to $40 million as payouts. Therefore, he said, “AJ is still the king, baby. Tell me this, Tyson Fury, there’s a natural fight. It’s 20 million to fight Daniel Dubois, or double to fight Anthony Joshua. The natural fight is AJ against Tyson Fury. They just can’t admit it to themselves. Because it f*cking hurts them so bad.”

Following this, the Matchroom Boxing lynchpin explained how either Fury, at 34-1-1, or Dubois, at 22-2, needed Joshua for a payday. In addition, he admitted his team would take time before deciding on the right name and time.

He continued, “AJ, I’m sorry, and you know, I’m number one fan. AJ is still the king, baby. You need him for the payday. You need Anthony Joshua for the payday, baby. And we’ll take our time. We’ll make the right decision. But when we come back, we’ll be ready, ready to kick some arse.”

So, there is no consensus about Joshua’s next fight opponent as of now. If he wants a hefty check, he could pick Fury, and if he wants a title, Dubois is the best shot. But Hearn previously disclosed that Joshua needed a break to cater to his injuries, partly because of his activity, where he fought 5 bouts within 18 months.

This would result in ‘Triple D’ picking someone else for his IBF title defense, where Joseph Parker now leads the race to land the golden opportunity. But how serious are the Watford native’s injuries that his camp is willing to forego a title shot?

Coming clean on Anthony Joshua’s injuries

In the same conversation, Hearn told Stomping Ground that there was no major injury. However, the Dagenham native explained the prolonged rest as a result of a devastating loss. He declared, “There’s no major injury… There’s nothing that’s going to be a long-term problem. For a turnaround after a five- or six-week break after a defeat like that, it’s just not possible to be 100 percent.”

The Joshua camp is eyeing a comeback next summer, with their target most probably now set on Fury because of the pay and traction involved. An all-British affair would capture the fans’ imagination and would do good business. But where will it take Joshua career-wise is something Hearn and his team have to figure out. By the next time Joshua would step into the squared circle, the boxing landscape would have changed a bit, with no potential title opportunity on the horizon for a long time.

What do you make of these comments by Hearn about Joshua? Who do you believe Joshua should fight next? Let us know in the comments below.