Next fight a tune up for AJ?

I think Luis Ortiz is next.

 

No time for a tune up. I think it will be Pulev, but even though he's a top 6 hw and ibf mandatory, he's the least risky of the murderers row in front of him.

 

would like to see him vs one of the following Wilder, Ortiz, Parker, Guillermo Jones, Povetkin, Jarrell Miller

hope it's not vs Briggs

 

Pulev would be a good solid beatable opponent, and would take care of his IBF mandatory which will press on him sooner or later.

 

Supposedly, IBF will immediately mandate Pulev, while WBA will immediately mandate Ortiz.

So he'll have to pick which belt/fight he wants, and drop the other belt.

 

hope he fights Ortiz then

 

I'm not sure that will happen. Joshua is the biggest star and draw in the sport. I'm sure Hearns will work that out. Why would the Ibf or Wba rush to strip a cash cow?

 

Why would he need a tune up?

 

Amir Mansour

 

The WBA has mentioned that he probably would get an exception because of the IBF.
So it will probably be Pulev and Ortiz next

 

He has 2 mandatory defences imminent. Ortiz has a hand injury and pulled out of a fight against Rossy earlier this month so maybe they can delay that one and he'll fight Pulev next and then Ortiz.

 

Again why would he need this? I would understand a Mandatory but there is no reason for him to do anything past this point but fight Parker, Wilder, or a Mandatory no matter how deserving or undeserving they may be. If you want to hold onto the belts you are going to have to fight undeserving Mandatory opponents from time to time and I wouldn't criticize him for that but he doesn't need to be taking optional fights of that calibre. It should be meanijgful or important fights from here on out.

 

Pulev already declined 3 career high offers to fight Joshua in December, he doesn't want the Joshua fight. He will make less as a mandatory so I expect him to give up his ranking to go back to fighting the Peters and Johnsons.