Eddie Hearn Drops 3 Big Names for Anthony Joshua's Next Fight in 2024
Anthony Joshua has no shortage of potential opponents for 2024. "AJ" demolished Otto Wallin inside the distance at "The Day of Reckoning" on December 23, and enters the new year on a clean three-fight win streak.
Whilst plans for a Deontay Wilder showdown quickly evaporated after "The Bronze Bomber" was soundly defeated by Joseph Parker, promoter Eddie Hearn has other plans for his prized fighter.
Speaking to iFL TV, Hearn named three potential opponents for Joshua to face next:
"Right now we have three fights that were in discussions for [and] they're all big," Hearn explained. "Before March [2024] our aim is to fight the winner of Fury vs. Usyk.
"Obviously there's [Filip] Hrgovic... There's a Francis Ngannou fight out there which would be absolutely colossal. ...The [Zheili] Zhang fight possibly as well with Queensbury."
A bout with Ngannou could be more realistic than ever since Wilder may have lost his bartering power after his shock defeat. "The Bronze Bomber" was hinting at fighting Ngannou both in MMA and boxing, but that idea could be on the rocks.
"I’m looking forward to stepping in the ring with Francis and getting a fight going," Wilder told Lucky Block. "The first time we had the discussion I told him we should do one in boxing and one in MMA, I think that would be very entertaining for the fans on both sides, because most times you see MMA guys come into our world and we’re not coming into their world. But I want to be fair, I’m always fair. If he comes over here to boxing, the next one I’ll go over there where he’s more comfortable and where I’m more out of my element."
Hrgovic is unblemished in 17 professional outings, also last competing on December 23 where he knocked out boxing veteran Mark De Mori. "El Animal's" biggest win was against an undefeated Zhang back in 2022. However, since then it's been Zhang who has had the higher-profile victories.
"Big Bang" Zhang recouped from his first-ever loss with back-to-back knockouts over Joe Joyce in 2023, forcing his name into the lexicon of the average boxing fan.
Of the three names, Ngannou would be the biggest. "The Predator" defied all expectations in his razor-thin split decision loss to heavyweight king Tyson Fury in October 2023. By dropping "The Gypsy King" with a clubbing left hand, Ngannou won a moral victory, and his next fight is guaranteed to be a big money maker.
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