http://www.skysports.com/amp/boxing...utm_medium=referral&__twitter_impression=true Anthony Joshua will have the final say on a potential world title fight with Alexander Povetkin, despite plans for a multi-million pound bout in Russia. The Russian heavyweight has been confirmed as the WBA's mandatory challenger for Joshua, but must firstly overcome David Price on the same bill in Cardiff this Saturday night, live on Sky Sports Box Office. Promoter Eddie Hearn is tentatively mapping out plans for Joshua ahead of his unification clash with Joseph Parker in the main event at the Principality Stadium, and insists he could tempt Povetkin back to Britain. "Joshua will have to fight Povetkin at some point in 2018," Hearn told Sky Sports. "Everything is about money. But we can generate a lot of money in the UK." Eddie Hearn "They've made it clear they would want to fight [in the UK]. The funding and backing that was initially there, isn't there anymore." Povetkin's promoters, World of Boxing, was founded by Andrey Ryabinsky, a Russian entrepreneur. Vadim Kornilov, who now heads the promotion, told Sky Sports that a fight in Russia would be of similar importance to Joshua's clash this weekend in Cardiff. "I think it would be comparable," he said. "[Wladimir] Klitschko was paid almost £20m to fight Povetkin so anything can be generated. This has that type of magnitude. "It would be a huge fight in Russia but, after speaking to Eddie, it would be a huge fight in [the UK] too because there is a big Russian community. Anywhere is a possibility." Joshua, should he add Parker's WBO belt to his IBF and WBA titles, stands on the cusp of an undisputed world heavyweight title fight against Deontay Wilder but, if they cannot be agreed, then Povetkin could be "enforced". "[Joshua vs Povetkin] is supposed to be the next fight. It should be," WBA president Gilberto Mendoza told Sky Sports. "It would, depending on the timing, fill up the new [81,000 seater] Luzhniki Stadium - a football stadium. That's a location with enough magnitude for this type of fight. "You also have to understand that Joshua is big for the sport, and we would have to think about a unification fight, but regularly Povetkin should be his next opponent. "I can't close the doors but we will try to enforce [Povetkin] as much as we can, because we feel that's a good fight. "There are always special circumstances that mean you must look fight-by-fight. But Povetkin was already rated, he has spoken to [promoter Hearn]. The styles of Joshua and Povetkin would make a good fight in England or Russia." Povetkin's promoters claimed a fight with Joshua before the end of 2018 was "definitely the goal for everybody", which the WBA's Mendoza agreed with. "Any unification can delay a mandatory," Povetkin's promoter Kornilov said. "Joshua-Wilder would be a priority but we don't know if it will happen so, after Saturday, we are focused on our mandatory fight between Joshua and Povetkin." Hearn concluded: "I think it's likelier [Joshua fights] in America or another territory. But it's hard to leave the UK because of what we're producing. This is his third stadium fight in 11 months so, at some point, we have to relieve the pressure."
Sasha will much rather fight Joshua than roadrunner meep meep Deontay. He knows Joshua will show up, a bigger check and maybe an easier fight.
I said Povetkin would be AJ’s next opponent the minute the price fight was added to the card. Spectacular KO in front of the British fans and it’s hello AJ v Sasha at Wembley in the summer
I would quite like this fight to take place in Russia. The time difference would suit me better, so I can watch the fight earlier in the evening. It would be good to see Joshua spread his wings and fight outside the UK, and like I said time difference suits me better compared to Joshua fighting at 3 am in America. Povetkin is also a much tougher fight than Wilder, though I would ideally like to see Wilder disposed of and humiliated first. Joshua will also earn more from this fight than the Wildet one, Russian’s pay top dollar.
Imagine the ****** chants if Joshua fought in Russia? No thanks. Much rather it take place in the U.K. I would however like to see him go over to China and fight in the birds nest stadium against Junlong Zhang!
Would like to see that also. Hearn’s did talk about Joshua fighting in China, but I guess it will fully depend on if it pays or not.
Yeah, these will be the same people that will be telling me and you that AJ leftovers Breazeale is a "great fight and a real test" in a couple of months when Wilder signs to fight him.
I think this's a total mismatch! A disgusting and a gruesome one in that. If Anthony Joshua couldn't KO Alexander Povetkin UNCONSCIOUS inside 3 rounds, or even in the first round or in the first 30 seconds of the first round, then it'd expose Anthony Joshua and it'd be a testament to Anthony Joshua not ever being as good as initially thought. Mismatches like these should be condemned! And in such a gruesome / disgusting mismatch that favors Anthony Joshua like it does in this one, Joshua should win with 0 difficulty. If he doesn't, then it only exposes him as a horrible boxer.
