By Charles Brun: Eddie Hearn said today that Dillian Whyte is the “frontrunner” for Anthony Joshua’s next fight in late July.
Hearn says if he can negotiate a deal with the 34-year-old Whyte (28-3, 19 KOs), then that’s the fight he wants to make for Joshua (25-3, 22 KOs). It’s a fight that will make a lot of money in the UK, as Whyte is still popular over there.
The idea behind using Whyte is to give Joshua another opponent to help him progress with his new trainer Derrick James.
Most would agree Joshua looked lackluster in his first fight under Derrick’s guidance against Jermaine Franklin, but AJ has chosen to stick it out with the U.S. coach to the bitter end, which could be soon if he loses to Whyte.
“The fight move is a fight in July at the same level of slightly above Jermaine Franklin, and I think whether you get criticism about that or not that’s what he needs,” said Eddie Hearn to Chris Mannix on Boxing about Anthony Joshua’s next fight.
“I just think his [Joshua] whole career is been built on mandatorys and fights that fans want to see. Now, I think it’s let’s get it right; let’s be the best you can be in a run that will include Wilder, Fury, Joyce, and others as well.
“So it looks like at the backend of July, we’ll be back out,” Hearn said about Joshua. “I think that’s the frontrunner,” Hearn said when asked if Whyte is the frontrunner for Joshua. “I quite like the Otto Wallin fight, really, but he’s a southpaw.
“So if a deal can be reached with Dillian Whyte, then I think that would be a smart fight for both.
“The reason I like the fight is because Joshua is going to look best, look most effective against bigger guys, taller heavyweights. That’s why Jermaine Franklin was bad style for him.
“So, I like the [Otto Wallin] fight in that respect and because he had a good fight with Fury, but the problem is, he’s a southpaw. But when you’re progressing with a trainer, the last thing Derrick James wants is a southpaw, especially when you’re not going to go and fight another southpaw in Fury and Wilder. So why would you go and fight another southpaw?” said Hearn.