Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn has revealed four options that are being looked at for Anthony Joshua’s next fight in March in Saudi Arabia. Joshua’s opponent will undoubtedly have no chance of winning to keep the cash flowing.
The four names that Hearn has mentioned are:
1. Agit Kabayel
2. Francis Ngannou
3. Filip Hrgovic
4. Zhilei Zhang
It’s believed by some that Hearn only threw out Zhang & Hrgovic’s names for appearance sakes to make it appear that there’s a selection process going on for Joshua’s next fight, but in reality, the choice is between Kabayel & Ngannou.
Fans would be furious if Hearn picked Kabayel or Ngannou as the next opponent for the former two-time heavyweight champion Joshua (27-3, 24 KOs), as those guys would be a lateral move, not an upgrade from AJ’s last opponent, Otto Wallin.
Behind the Curtain: Business or Boxing?
Nonetheless, it will likely be Ngannou or Kabayel that Joshua fights in March. This writer sees Ngannou getting picked by Hearn & the Saudis as Joshua’s next opponent for these reasons:
- Limited boxing skills
- Advanced age: 37
- Popular with MMA fans: Ngannou will bring in tons of fans from that sport to watch him battle Joshua.
- Comparison purposes: AJ fighting Ngannou will give him a chance to show how much better he is than Tyson Fury, who arguably lost to the novice fighter last October, despite winning a controversial ten round split decision.
- Make Joshua look good.
What boxing fans fail to understand is that Joshua is a business-level fighter and always has been, rather than a sports guy for Matchroom, and they’re not going to put him in with someone that can beat him like Zhang, because it’s about keeping the green rolling in by the truckload.
If you look at how Joshua has been matched his entire career, steered away from Deontay Wilder when he was in his prime, put in with older guys, it’s pretty clear that he’s just been a money vessel and not like someone that is involved in true sporting fights against opposition with a shot at beating him.
Joshua’s cautious path to Fury’s door
Think of Joshua as an NFL team that has always been matched against teams with records of 10-6 & 8-8 his entire career, and NEVER put in with teams with 15-1 or 16-0 records. Why? Because there would be too many chances of Joshua losing.
AJ’s first two fights in 2024 are more about keeping him protected until he gets that massive money showdown against Tyson Fury, and Hearn isn’t going to do anything foolish, like putting AJ in with someone good, like southpaw Zhiei Zhang, who would knock him out of the galaxy, exposing him once again.
