By Craig Daly: Anthony Joshua will be fighting twice in 2022, getting in the second fight in December, according to promoter Eddie Hearn.
The Matchroom Boxing promoter Hearn isn’t giving any hints about who the potential second fight will be in December for Joshua, but you have to believe Tyson Fury would be the likely suspect.
Although Fury is technically retired, the lure of a boatload of green could bring the ‘Gypsy King’ out of his early retirement to battle AJ for the undisputed heavyweight championship in December in the Middle East.
On the flip side, if Joshua (24-2, 22 KOs) loses his rematch with IBF/WBA/WBO heavyweight champion Oleksander Usyk in mid-August, AJ may insist on fighting him a third time, risking all in December with his career virtually on the line.
“AJ’s fighting twice this year,” Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn said to iFL TV. “Any delay can only be a couple of weeks because we want to make sure that he’s good to go in December again.”
To be sure, it’s highly premature for Hearn to discuss a possible second fight for Joshua in December because things could fall apart in his rematch with Usyk, and who knows what his actions will be after a second defeat?
You would have to believe that retirement might be on the agenda for Joshua.
“July 23rd is still the working date. If there were a delay, it wouldn’t be a major issue for anybody. It’s just time. It’s a huge deal. The fight is happening,” said Hearn about Joshua vs. Usyk 2 bout.
“He’s getting up for it again, and he’s firing,” said Gareth A Davies to iFL TV about Joshua getting amped up for the rematch against his conqueror Usyk.
“I can’t wait for this fight in lots of ways,” continued an excited Davies about the Joshua vs. Usyk II contest close to finally happening. “It’s been a long time coming.
“When you think about it, mid-August, it’s nearly a year, eleven months out since he [Joshua] last fought. There’s a lot of thinking to do, but it does make a lot of sense that they moved it to August.
“There’s always a reason for why a fight is announced, and there’s a lot of talk about the broadcast deal in the background. Joshua, I believe, will re-sign with Sky. I think that deal is done.
“It’ll be Box Office in the UK, and I think DAZN will have international rights. You’ve got to think about it this way for Joshua. If he does win, all is forgiven.
“It’s as simple as that. At the moment, he’s kind of in a netherworld, a limbo land, and there are doubts about it.”
“If he does win, all we’re going to be talking about is, ‘Let’s get Tyson Fury out of retirement for the big one, the undisputed between two Brits. It’s the biggest, richest fight in British boxing history,” said Gareth.
