Anthony Joshua has revealed that the negotiations for his subsequent battle are “almost completed” for his September twenty first conflict at Wembley Stadium in London.
Potential Opponents: Dubois or Zhang?
Joshua (28-3, 25 KOs) isn’t giving any hints about who could be standing throughout from him contained in the ring that night time, however the heavyweights working for that match are Daniel Dubois and Zhilei Zhang.
AJ’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, has been adamant that the IBF heavyweight title should be at stake for Joshua to face Dubois.
That’s comprehensible as a result of it’s a dangerous battle for Joshua, who turns 35 in October and hasn’t fought a tricky opponent since shedding to Oleksandr Usyk in 2022.
Hearn doesn’t wish to put Joshua in danger until he can choose up a bit of gold and the IBF belt is offered for the Dubois conflict. If the title isn’t obtainable, Joshua would doubtless select Zhilei Zhang.
‘Massive Bang’ Zhang (27-2-1, 22 KOs) is coming off a powerful fifth-round knockout win over former WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder on June 1st, and there can be a number of curiosity from followers in seeing if Joshua can stand as much as the highly effective southpaw’s punches.
Joseph Parker: A Darkish Horse Contender?
“Zhang deserves the chance based mostly on his performances, however so does Joseph Parker,” stated Gareth A. Davies to Boxing King Media about who ought to Anthony Joshua battle on September twenty first at Wembley Stadium.
“Joseph Parker has simply as a lot proper to battle Anthony Joshua as Zhilei Zhang does and as Daniel Dubois does. We’d get the curve ball, and it could be Joseph Parker. AJ is a serious crossover star, and he’ll do 60,000 simply on his personal.”
Parker’s choice as Joshua’s subsequent opponent raises two main issues. The primary considerations his boring combating model, which has grow to be very defensive since his knockout loss to Zhang.
Parker is that this period’s model of Jimmy Younger and Chris Byrd. The opposite drawback that may hold Parker from getting the battle towards Joshua is that he already misplaced to him by a one-sided 12-round choice in a painfully boring battle in 2018, and the followers who do not forget that contest gained’t wish to see him trotted out as AJ’s opponent on September twenty first at Wembley Stadium.
“If Daniel Dubois fights Anthony Joshua, he’s bought to take it to him. He’s bought to be aggressive in that battle. He can’t sit again. For my part, he’s bought to go from the off,” stated Gareth.
“He’s bought to take every little thing he’s discovered within the Oleksandr Usyk battle and within the Filip Hrgovic battle and within the Jarrell Miller fighter and put all of them into motion on the identical time. He might upset the apple cart.”
Dubois has bought to take the battle to Joshua as a result of if he hangs again, he’ll get speared to the top like Francis Ngannous and be knocked out rapidly. Joshua hates being pressured, and he tends to get nervous when somebody places it on him, like Andy Ruiz did of their first battle.
“I see it as a 60-40 battle for Joshua. Joshua towards Daniel Dubois,” stated Gareth when requested who he believes would be the principal occasion on September twenty first at Wembley Stadium.
Almost completed my negotiations for my subsequent battle! Feeling motivated. pic.twitter.com/6zDia30cIN
— Anthony Joshua (@anthonyjoshua) June 18, 2024
