By Craig Daly: Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn says he feels that Anthony Joshua needs another tune-up/confidence builder in July before he’s ready to face Tyson Fury or Deontay Wilder in December in a massive fight.
Hearn states that he wants Joshua to fight one of these three contenders in July:
- Dillian Whyte
- Joe Joyce
- Otto Wallin
It’s highly unlikely that Joshua will fight the unbeaten Joe Joyce (15-0, 14 KOs) because he might be the best heavyweight in the division today. Moreover, the chances that Joyce sends Joshua into retirement is quite high, and Hearn has to be aware of that. He’s got to keep the gravy train going for as long as possible, and Joyce would ruin everything.
The 6’5 1/2″ Otto Wallin (25-1, 14 KOs) would be a good choice, but he’s fighting at too high of a level now for him to be a useful opponent for Joshua. Wallin is not just a small step above Jermaine Franklin. He’s a GIANT step and more than good enough to beat Joshua, which is what Hearn wants to avoid.
Although Hearn didn’t specifically mention who he thinks Joshua (25-3, 22 KOs) will fight, the way his eyes lit up when he mentioned Dillian Whyte (28-3, 19 KOs) suggests that he’ll be the likely suspect that faces AJ in July.
It’s obvious that Hearn is totally dialed in on Whyte as Joshua’s opponent. The British fans know who Whyte is, and it would be an in-house fight for Hearn, so he wouldn’t have to worry about sharing the promotion.
Hearn needs to do something with Whyte because of the way he’s slurring his words and falling apart in all of his fights; he’s at a level below the journeyman stage at this point in his career. You can argue that Derek Chisora is fighting at a higher level than Whyte, which says a lot.
There used to be a lot of interest from British boxing fans in a rematch between Joshua & Dillian after the two fought in 2015. However, fans have cooled to the idea of seeing a second fight bight between them after watching both fighters go rapidly downhill in the last four years.
Joshua needs more time with Derrick James
“The best way to describe it was solid but not spectacular,” said Eddie Hearn to Ariel Helwani’s site, talking about Anthony Joshua’s performance against Jermaine Franklin.
“There were a lot of people that criticized the performance; one of them was Dillian Whyte, who had a very close fight with Franklin. AJ won the fight comfortably on Saturday night. At times, I felt he should have been more aggressive.
“At times, he looked like he lacked a little bit of confidence and belief, but at the same time, he hasn’t won a fight since 2020. He’s had three new trainers in the last, and if he lost last Saturday night, his career is over,” Hearn said about Joshua.
“So, all in all, there was a bit of pressure. The general feeling is we need another fight. A step up from Franklin in order to gel and continue to improve with Derrick James, we need another fight in the summer of that nature.
“We also know that the Tyson Fury fight, whether that’s even possible, maybe a summer fight, and that’s the only chance. It’s a difficult decision. If we’re doing it with the view to keep improving, to create longevity, and to get him to his best, then we should have another fight.
“Momentum is key for AJ. He boxed twice a year and once a year since Covid for the last three or four years. I want him to box in July and then in December. I think it’ll do him really good to have a couple of weeks off now and then go straight back to Texas with Derrick James.
“It’s hard to have a conversation with the fans and even the broadcaster to say, ‘I think he needs another fight like that.’ Every fan and every broadcaster is going to say, ‘Give us Fury. Give us Wilder.’ I feel like he’s got to be a little selfish at this point in his career.
“If you don’t have a fight that is a blockbuster, the money is going to be the money. But if you want to get in the position where you win the blockbusters, then this is the route that you should be taking because I feel another fight with Derrick James reinforces that confidence.
“If he believes in what he’s doing, he’ll be in better shape in December, mentally, emotionally, and physically for the Furys and the Wilders. But it’s going to be very tempting in the meantime if those fights can get made to not jump straight in,” said Hearn.
