Anthony Joshua’s Next Five Fights, as Outlined by Eddie Hearn

On April 1st, former unified World Heavyweight Champion Anthony Joshua returns to the ring for the first time since his second consecutive loss to Oleksandr Usyk. AJ has had to go back to the drawing board following those back-to-back defeats to the Ukrainian pound-for-pound kingpin, and his upcoming bout with Jermaine Franklin will be the first time in seven years that a Joshua fight hasn’t been contested for a world title.

Eddie Hearn, Anthony Joshua’s long-time promoter, underwhelmed the boxing public when he announced the 29-year-old American as the former heavyweight king’s opponent. The 989 Assassin was recently defeated by Joshua’s longtime rival and former foe Dillian Whyte, and many feel that he will breeze past his opponent with a minimum of fuss. The bookmakers certainly agree. Betting odds compared by OddsChecker currently make Franklin a +900 underdog, and a victory for him would be one of the biggest shocks in the history of the heavyweight division.

Should AJ get through the upcoming test, then Eddie Hearn has outlined these five as the next men on Joshua’s hitlist.

Dillian Whyte

As we eluded to earlier, Anthony Joshua has fought and beat Dillian Whyte before. That bout came way back in December 2015 however, and both men are different fighters in 2023. AJ back then was a no-fear knockout artist who charged forward head-first in the hopes of knocking his opponent out. However, since his knockout loss to Andy Ruiz back in June 2019, and following his back-to-back losses to Usyk – Joshua has become a little more gun-shy.

Whyte meanwhile has racked up an impressive resume over the last half-decade. Admittedly he was outclassed in his maiden world title challenge against Tyson Fury; however, he has beaten the likes of Joseph Parker, Alexander Povetkin, and Dereck Chisora. The Body Snatcher won’t be an easy fight for AJ, and he will have to be at his very best to secure his second victory.

Deontay Wilder

Throughout the second half of 2018 and the first half of 2019, Anthony Joshua and the heavy-handed Deontay Wilder held all the gold in the heavyweight division. The pair attempted to make the fight to crown the first undisputed champion since Lennox Lewis however, couldn’t agree on terms for the bout. Then, Joshua lost his gold to Andy Ruiz – before reclaiming it in a rematch – and Wilder lost his title to Tyson Fury.

Nowadays, neither fighter holds a title. However the bout is still one that the world will pay good money to see, and Eddie Hearn knows it. Should these two face off, it will be a must-watch fireworks extravaganza, and we can only hope that Hearn is a man of his word.

Tyson Fury

Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury also attempted to make the undisputed fight, before similar issues reared their heads. AJ lost the gold to Usyk, however this time, he failed to recapture his titles in a rematch. Following that second defeat, Fury offered the former champion a lifeline by offering him a shot at the Gypsy King’s WBC title. Once again, however, neither party could come to terms on the deal. Fury has since also failed to secure a bout with Usyk, meaning that the heavyweight straps will remain separated, for now.

Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua is a money-spinning bout with or without titles though. It would do massive numbers in the United Kingdom, and we imagine it would be a pay-per-view affair Stateside as well. Fingers crossed that the bout finally gets made over the next calendar year.

Joe Joyce and Filip Hrgovic

The next two men on the list aren’t as well-known as the previous three. Joe Joyce is a household name in the UK and with good reason. He has won his last five fights by knockout, with names such as Joseph Parker and Daniel Dubois included in those five. He is now 37 years of age though, and if a big fight doesn’t come soon for the juggernaut, it may not come at all.

Filip Hrgovic is an undefeated Croatian prospect also promoted by Eddie Hearn. Should Joshua win his upcoming tune-up bout, we may very well see these two square off next.