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Anthony Joshua is back in the super league of heavyweight boxing after a spectacular performance against Otto Wallin. So what next?
Suddenly there plenty of options now. Joshua’s five-round evisceration of the Swede was arguably the most technically complete performance of his career and huge fights await the British behemoth in 2024.
Significantly, the positive mindset and the skills - along with those thumping, heavy punches - are back at the forefront of the AJ armoury.
The teaming up of Joshua with Ben Davison - Tyson Fury’s former trainer - has worked wonders. Their ongoing partnership has not been confirmed yet, but it would be a huge surprised if Joshua, on his fourth trainer in
five fights, now moves anywhere else.
The choices open to Joshua and his promoter Eddie Hearn mainly fall under the umbrella of the investment of Saudi Arabia and the kingdom’s influential minister Turki Al-Sheikh, along with Frank Warren and his Queensberry Promotions.
It looks, for now at least, that the ship has sailed for a Joshua-Deontay Wilder mega-fight to take place in March, given Joseph Parker’s routing of the American, in what in my view is the New Zealand fighter’s greatest technical career performance.
Wilder will need to get back in the win column first if he still wants to fight on at the age of 39 next year. Wilder, in the aftermath of his defeat, ruled out retirement but then said that were his time in the ring to come to an end, he would celebrate his career. It seems most likely Wilder will fight a couple of more times, which could include a fight against Joshua.
First, however, Joshua’s attention will be on the contest between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk for the undisputed heavyweight title on Feb 17, but the International Boxing Federation has an overdue mandatory.
Fury and Usyk have signed a two-fight deal guaranteeing a rematch, so the IBF belt is likely to be vacated before their second bout as they will not be able to contests the mandatory. Croatia’s Filip Hrgovic is currently the IBF No 1.
‘100 per cent I want to fight Tyson’
Joshua also wants to get in the ring with Fury. Speaking after his victory over Wallin, Joshua said: “100 per cent I want to fight Tyson Fury but I’m not ruling out Hrgovic”.
The Fury fight, one we have always wanted to see, would trump all others. An ebullient Joshua has now made a contest with his fellow Briton a much different proposition in many people’s eyes. He has also re-energised the heavyweight division and the sport as a whole. A rejuvenated Joshua is big box office.
There is yet another possible outcome. Should Usyk beat Fury, Joshua could pursue a trilogy fight with the Ukrainian. It is one that trainer Davison is keen on and he believes Joshua could defeat Usyk at the third attempt.
There are so many mouthwatering possibilities and whatever is decided, there are huge match-ups to come in 2024. Joshua will be centre stage, AJ is back.
Anthony Joshua is back – and the options in 2024 are mouthwatering
Victory over Wallin was Briton's most technically complete performance of his career - either Tyson Fury or Oleksandr Usyk now loom large