Who next for AJ?

Ortiz

 

Probably Miller it the US debut

 

Pulev isn't his mandatory, the IBF number one spot is vacant hence the need for an eliminator. The eliminator probably won't happen until this summer when Joshua will likely fight next if we are to believe what Hearn has been saying. IBF may order a mandatory defence after that though so Joshua will either defend against the winner or Wilder at the end of the year.

Joshua still has to face a WBA mandatory which he won over 11 months ago so that must happen soon. That may mean Povetkin has to be next because if Wilder refuses to fight him later this year Joshua could be left with 2 pending mandatory defences with no unification fight to override them which means Joshua gets stripped of one of his belts. Unless Hearn has some assurances that won't happen from one of the sanctioning bodies then I can't see any other choice but Povetkin.

But if it isn't Povetkin then it will likely be Miller in the US.

 

This content is protected

 

AJ will call out Butterbean or somebody else who is old, fat, or knows he can't beat.

 

I reckon his next three (in order) will be:

1. Miller in Brooklyn in August.

2. Deontay at Wembley at the end of the year or early next.

3. Tyson Fury (needs to claim the lineal championship for legacy).

Povetkin will get frozen out (or left to grow older which is essentially the same thing).

 

This.

 

Graham Norton

 

1- Miller or Povetkin Autumn 2018
2- Tyson Fury Spring 2019

I don’t think the Wilder fight happens until Autumn 2019 or Spring 2020

AJ fights twice per year

Povetkin post PEDs and late 30s is no longer a threat. Tyson Fury couldn’t crack an egg.

Therefore both are good fights for AJ.

 

Whyte

 

I think it’s going to be Wilder. The man himself said he wants Wilder or Fury.

Whyte being lined up for Povetkin.

Joshua getting a lot of stick for Saturday night will want to correct that as soon as possible.

 

Doesn't mean he actually wants them lol.

 

According to Rabinsky he's been talking with Hearn about a Joshua/Povetkin fight. He wants it sooner rather than later and is looking for a fight in the autumn.

So I say Miller is likely the next opponent in the US. Fact is Wilder only fights twice per year so Wilder won't likely fight again until late 2018, so Joshua can easily sneak in his US debut in the summer vs Miller. Then in the autumn/winter it will either be Wilder or Povetkin.