Five potential opponents for Joshua to fight next.
It was revealed on Friday that there are plans for Anthony Joshua to return to the ring on the 25th of July in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
This date clashes with the rumoured time of Moses Itauma’s next fight, and it will be interesting to see if this remains the case.
Either way, speculation over Joshua’s next foe is an all-time high, so what’s say we get in on the action?
Here are five potential opponents for Anthony Joshua’s reported ring return.
5. Joe Joyce.
This may seem a bit random, but it could actually work quite well. Joe ‘The Juggernaut’ Joyce (16-4, 15 KOs) has suffered a steep decline ever since his victory over Joseph Parker. He is also 40 years old.
His chin is still rock-solid, and he will definitely still punch hard enough. However, his head and hand movement make him an open target.
Joyce has fought Joshua before as an amateur, losing via first-round stoppage when both he was younger and inexperienced. Therefore, there is also some history thrown into the mix.
Nonetheless, Joyce should present Joshua with an easy fight, stylistically speaking. It must be said, though, that Joyce battled on largely even terms with Filip Hrgovic last year, so it could be that he might still be a tad too risky for a tune-up fight.
4. Dillian Whyte.
Having fought Joshua once in both the amateurs and professionals, Dillian ‘The Bodysnatcher’ Whyte (31-4, 21 KOs) is essentially 1-1 with the superstar Londoner.
The two were set to have their professional rematch in 2023, but Whyte would end up failing a drug test. Since then, Whyte has beaten gatekeepers Christian Hammer and Ebenezer Tetteh and been blown out in a round by Moses Itauma.
It isn’t clear what Whyte has left, but it doesn’t appear to be a whole lot at the moment. A rematch with Whyte would carry history and would seemingly be a relatively safe bet for Joshua.
3. Arslanbek Makhmudov.
Big-punching, huge, and very scary-looking, Arslanbek ‘The Lion’ Makhmudov (21-3, 19 KOs) has a profile in Britain via his fights with Tyson Fury and Dave Allen.
While the Russian carries a thump harder than most, you essentially have to stand right in front of him in order to be hit. His speed and defence are very lacking.
And with Joshua’s proven liking for one-upping Fury’s performances over shared opponents, it makes sense he’d want to do the same here over the man “The Gypsy King” chose for his comeback fight.
Though Makhmudov is always dangerous.
2. Tony Yoka.
Since his planned fight with Lawrence Okolie fell apart, Tony ‘The Artist’ Yoka (15-3, 12 KOs) has been in need of another opponent. Though he is rumoured to be getting a slot on the Dave Allen vs. Filip Hrgovic or Fabio Wardley vs. Daniel Dubois card, it is unlikely the Frenchman will be in with anyone fantastic.
As a result, he should be more than ready for Joshua only two months later, and he certainly possesses what is required to be a serviceable option.
Yoka won a gold medal at the 2016 Summer Olympics, but he has not had a flawless transition into the professionals. He lost three in a row to Martin Bakole, Carlos Takam, and Ryad Merhy.
He has since gone on a four-fight win streak, but given his habit of losing to his best opposition, he looks to be practically perfect for Joshua’s next pick.
Yoka has also never been stopped, so it will give Joshua some extra incentive to really put on a good performance.
1. Nelson Hysa.
If Joshua is wanting something just a bit more interesting for his comeback fight, hey, how about Nelson ‘The Albanian Eagle’ Hysa (24-0, 22 KOs)?
The owner of a very pretty record, Hysa is also currently ranked #3 by the WBA. He also has already made a few appearances in Britain.
And before you start thinking that he sounds way too dangerous for a warm-up bout, Hysa is actually 41 years old. His opposition hasn’t been terrific, and there isn’t a whole lot we actually know about him.
He can definitely punch, but his true ability is very unclear. So, there are definitely a few interesting points when it comes to Hysa.
Given that he is an unknown quantity, it might be best to steer clear for now. But if Joshua is willing to take a chance and face someone a bit more risky, Hysa could pose a very intriguing customer.
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