-Deborah Akinyosoye
Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn has confirmed that two-time heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua will face either Daniel Dubois or Tyson Fury for his next fight, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
Last month, Joshua’s bid to become a three-time world champion and return to the division’s top table ended dramatically and unexpectedly, with Dubois dropping him several times at Wembley Stadium in front of 98,000 fans before he landed the final blow, a crunching right-hand, in Round 5 that left Joshua sprawling on the canvas for a fourth career loss.
Joshua is looking to get his career back on track and become world champion again with a rematch between the two Britons mooted for February 22, 2025.
While a fight with Dubois is on the card, Hearn is not ruling out a potential bout with Tyson Fury.
“It’s weird saying it after a knockout defeat, but AJ is actually in a really good position,” Matchroom boss Hearn told BBC Sport.
“We’re going to fight Dubois or Fury next. That’s it. No other interest or warm-up.”
Fury, who has long been linked with a superfight with Joshua, will face unified champion Oleksandr Usyk on December 21 after losing to the Ukrainian in May.
Meanwhile, the champion’s promoter, Frank Warren, has confirmed Dubois will most likely fight on the mooted date of February 22, 2025, but doubts if Joshua will be ready for the bout.
“AJ desperately wants revenge, but the only issue is timing,” he said. “For the rematch to happen in February, training camp will have to start in a couple of weeks.
“There are always niggles, and he had a few, so physically, it’s just a case of whether AJ is ready to do that.”
Joshua may instead await the outcome of 36-year-old Fury’s rematch with Usyk.
“It would be frustrating if we made the Dubois rematch and Fury won,” Hearn said.
“Then we’re sitting there going, ‘Hang on a minute, we’re fighting Dubois, but we could have fought Fury in May for the biggest fight in boxing.’
“Win or lose, we can fight Fury next summer. But if he wins, AJ fights him for the world title.”