Promoter Eddie Hearn fully expects, as do plenty of other people, Anthony Joshua to become a boxing superstar in the near future, and there are big plans in store for the reigning IBF heavyweight champion. First up, Joshua, 17-0(17) will make the second defence of his belt in either November or December, then there will be defence number three in March and then, next summer at Wembley, Joshua will possibly fight a massive fight against either Tyson Fury, Deontay Wilder or David Haye.
Hearn spoke of these plans with Sky Sports:
“Until things start slotting in, I can’t tell you the dates, the venue, the fights, or the under-card, but in time this will fall into place,” the Matchroom boss said. “We’ve already got a three-fight plan mapped out, which is November/December, March at The O2 then July at Wembley, which will be either against Haye, Fury or Wilder.”
Hearn admitted how these lofty plans are “pure speculation,” but are also “in the works.” There is plenty of work to be done, as well as a lot of good luck needed, for these big fights to come off. Joshua will defend against a TBA, possibly Kubrat Pulev in Nov/Dec and could then face mandatory challenger Joseph Parker in March – but, as Hearn says, Parker might fight David Price on the Nov/Dec card, and if Price were to score a KO, he would get the March shot at A.J.
The big one the fans are really excited about is the summer fight Hearn wants for his star. Joshua against Fury in a big unification fight would be enormous, as would a Joshua-Wilder IBF/WBC unification. Joshua against Haye would also be a big hit in the UK. Of these three possible fights, Joshua-Fury would be the pick for most people. Fury is said to be training hard for his October 29 return with Wladimir Klitschko and, all being well, the two British rivals will lock horns in the summer 2017.
These are the fights that make fight fans fight fans!
