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 may be standing throughout from him contained in the ring that evening, however the heavyweights operating for that match are Daniel Dubois and Zhilei Zhang.
AJ’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, has been adamant that the IBF heavyweight title have to 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 troublesome opponent since shedding to Oleksandr Usyk in 2022.
Hearn doesn’t need to put Joshua in danger until he can choose up a chunk 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 formidable fifth-round knockout win over former WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder on June 1st, and there could be quite a lot 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,” mentioned 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 may 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 uninteresting preventing type, which has turn into 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 might preserve Parker from getting the battle towards Joshua is that he already misplaced to him by a one-sided 12-round resolution in a painfully boring battle in 2018, and the followers who do not forget that contest gained’t need to see him trotted out as AJ’s opponent on September twenty first at Wembley Stadium.
“If Daniel Dubois fights Anthony Joshua, he’s acquired to take it to him. He’s acquired to be aggressive in that battle. He can’t sit again. In my opinion, he’s acquired to go from the off,” mentioned Gareth.
“He’s acquired to take every part 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 acquired 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,” mentioned Gareth when requested who he believes would be the primary occasion on September twenty first at Wembley Stadium.
Practically completed my negotiations for my subsequent battle! Feeling motivated. pic.twitter.com/6zDia30cIN
— Anthony Joshua (@anthonyjoshua) June 18, 2024
