Anthony Joshua has three-fight plan as Eddie Hearn lays out hectic 2024
Eddie Hearn has hinted at a busy 2024 for Anthony Joshua. The Watford powerhouse’s promoter anticipates that Joshua will struggle thrice over the subsequent 12 months with Filip Hrgovic, Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury among the many names on the Brit’s hit listing.
AJ seemed again to his finest on December 23 as he dispatched Otto Wallin with ease on the ‘Day of Reckoning’ invoice in Saudi Arabia. The victory means Joshua is anticipated to leapfrog the Swede to No 2 within the IBF rankings, inserting him in a primed place to field Filip Hrgovic for the soon-to-be vacated IBF world title.
The IBF strap is without doubt one of the 4 main sanctioning physique belts on the road subsequent month when Usyk and Fury sq. off for undisputed supremacy at heavyweight. However, their two-fight deal clashes with the IBF’s necessary plans so a vacant world title struggle will doubtless be known as between the No 1 (Hrgovic) and No 2 (Joshua) subsequent 12 months, mooted for March.
Speaking to iFL TV about Joshua’s 2024 plans, Hearn stated: “The things that AJ wants to do is be in massive fights, win the world heavyweight title, and fight Tyson Fury, or get another crack at Usyk. That’s what Ben [Davison] wants – another crack at Usyk. For me, obviously, I’d love the Fury fight.”
“A lot has to happen by March to make that possible with Hrgovic. Obviously, Fury and Usyk fight in the middle of February. Are they gonna be able to keep the belt? Do they have to let it go? Is Joshua just gonna replace Wallin in the rankings? There’s a lot of discussions.
“If that’s in play for March, that’s definitely a possibility. Maybe that’s a fight that, when everything plays out, could be one for the summer. As I said, our conversations right now are about mapping out AJ’s next four or five fights … his 2024 and potentially the rest of his career.
“I think he’s gonna fight in March, then I guess he fights in August, September, so whether it’s three times in the calendar year or three times from March to March, something like that.”
The plan was for Joshua to sq. off towards Deontay Wilder in his subsequent bout ought to he beat Joseph Parker, however the ‘Bronze Bomber’ misplaced through unanimous choice spelling an finish to the tremendous struggle. Joshua vs Wilder was slated for a blockbuster occasion in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in March. It is anticipated that Hrgovic will substitute Wilder on stated invoice.