Joshua next fight was to be Cassius Chaney

Short notice isn't the reason for what is expected to be a poor opponent for Joshua next up.

Hearn and Joshua will have been very strategic during Joshua's downtime about how he was going to go forward. Joshua is still Eddie's cash cow and they won't be doing anything that doesn't suit them right down to the ground.

Adding Joshua to the undercard of a fight later this year has already been mentioned by Hearn on numerous occasions. As have other options. This isn't something they have come up with overnight.

They aren't just jumping in on short notice here. This is strategic.

 

The risk vs reward with Parker is too great for Joshua. They will go for a much softer touch than Parker for a December return.

Remember, Hearn has been mentioning an 8 rounder for Joshua and that is him conditioning the fans to what will undoubtedly be a disappointing opponent.

 

Ah, 'the shot from the Gods', LOL. BoxRec should include mention of it in the notes under their listing of the Ruiz I fight.

Explanation by Joshua after the fight:

"Why did I say it was a punch from the gods? Because I train in a certain way that means he shouldn't hit me with that shot. So I said it was sent from the gods" - Joshua.

Joshua should have been asked if the punch Dubois landed flush on his chin while he had his left hand at his side was a shot from the gods.

 

From an interview a couple of weeks ago:

Eddie Hearn named Agit Kabayel, Filip Hrgovic, and Otto Wallin as possible foes for his star client, who has, according to Hearn, expressed a keen desire to fight in December.

Wallin is fighting Chris Thomas this weekend. So we can put a line through his name.

Kayabel is fighting Damian Knyba on January 10th. So we can put a line through his name too.

Hrgovic last fought in August and has nothing listed as coming up. But would Hearn have Joshua fight Hrgovic on an undercard? In an 8 rounder?

 

From those upcoming dates Matchroom has, November 15th would appear too soon. This leaves December 13th in the US and December 27th in Saudi.

Got a feeling a win in the US might be on Joshua's bucket list - he doesn't have one - and they might go with December 13th in California. That card is headed by Diego Pacheco vs Kevin Lele Sadjo and has Hearn's golden haired girl Skye Nicholson on it.

BoxRec: Event

 

Hearn had previously categorically denied Joshua would appear on the Ghana show. But we do know Joshua has had a longtime want to fight there and if he is going to fight a nobody, on an undercard, it might as well be there as anywhere else.

 

According to Hearn in very recent interview:

“There will be no big-name fight this year. It wouldn’t be a headline, it wouldn’t be a pay-per-view, you don’t have to moan about it, it can just be part of something that’s already existed and on sale – so there would be no one moaning. It’s just part of the development of getting into position of being 100 per cent ready for the big gamble."

It really is a case of Hearn apologizing in advance. So, as he put it, 'there won't be any moaning.'

Expect a stinker.