Seven fights for Anthony Joshua revealed by Eddie Hearn if Tyson Fury really has retired to deny £500m British bout
EDDIE HEARN revealed Anthony Joshua has SEVEN different options if Tyson Fury really has retired.
Fury looks ready to walk away from a series of bouts with Joshua that could have been worth £500MILLION between them.
AJ was set to enter talks with the Gypsy King but he could be forced to look elsewhere if the retirement is to be believed.
Hearn named Martin Bakole, Dillian Whyte, Deontay Wilder, Zhilei Zhang, Agit Kabayel, Daniel Dubois and Joseph Parker as alternatives.
And here, SunSport breaks down Joshua’s options.
Dubois/Parker
Joshua was knocked out by Dubois in September and the two were heading towards a rematch – until he pulled out of talks.
Instead, Parker slotted in to fight for Dubois’ IBF heavyweight world title on February 22.
So whoever wins and emerges with the gold becomes becomes an immediate target for AJ.
Zhang/Kabayel
The two also fight next month and do so for the WBC interim title.
The belt guarantees them either a shot at Oleksandr Usyk’s full version or the right to be elevated if the champion vacates his belt.
So Joshua could be incentivised by the gold on the line.
Wilder
This feud dates back years and it remains a travesty the bout never happened.
Twice Saudi boxing supremo Turki Alalshikh lined Wilder up to face AJ – but he lost to Parker and Zhang to blow the big-money bout.
But Wilder is plotting a comeback and all it could take is one victory to put himself back in the frame.
Whyte
AJ lost to Whyte in their 2009 amateur bout but won the fight when they turned professional six years later.
And they were set to rematch in August 2023 until Whyte returned an “adverse finding” in a drugs test.
Whyte has since continued his career with two routine wins in Ireland and Gibraltar.
Bakole
Joshua knows Bakole well having sparred him in the past.
And Bakole has since proven himself to be a dominant force in the heavyweight division with only one loss in 22 fights.
He recently beat American prospect Jared Anderson to propel him into the title picture.