Eddie Hearn has laid out the two possible routes for Anthony Joshua’s next fight.
AJ looked destined to finally land the long-awaited all-British showdown with Tyson Fury after ‘The Gypsy King’ lost to Oleksandr Usyk for a second time at the back end of last year.
QueensberryHearn wants Joshua to return to a world heavyweight title fight[/caption]
Saudi boxing chief Turki Alalshikh was said to be preparing a lucrative offer for Joshua vs Fury.
However, those plans were put on ice when Fury announced he was hanging up his gloves.
Hearn and Co are now looking at other avenues for the Watford powerhouse, with a world title shot at the top of their list.
Joshua was knocked out by IBF champion Daniel Dubois in September at Wembley Stadium.
There was a one-way rematch clause written into Joshua’s contract but he chose not to have an immediate sequel due to lingering ‘niggles’.
Providing Dubois can overcome Joseph Parker on Saturday, Joshua will be eyeing up the winner.
“I think without Tyson Fury, AJ’s number one priority is to fight for the number one priority is to fight for the world heavyweight title,” Hearn told iFL TV.
“He’s not going to fight Usyk, is it? So it is going to be the winner of Saturday night [between Parker vs Dubois].”
Joshua will be ringside in Saudi Arabia this weekend to watch the heavyweight titans collide and could make an appearance in the ring to challenge the winner.
Although, that is not his only option for his next fight.
Asked for Joshua’s plan B, Hearn replied: “Bakole, the winner of [Zhilei] Zhang-[Agit] Kabayel, Deontay Wilder.
“I can’t even tell you for sure because there hasn’t been a conversation.
“I don’t even know. The only thing I know granted fact is that AJ wanted to fight for Fury and AJ wanted to fight for the world title, fact.
“Maybe there is a conversation in a week or so when we [ask Fury] ‘Just to let you know, you definitely don’t want to fight AJ?
“‘ In the summer, August or September because if you do come out of retirement now is the time to do it because we may have to wait until next year’.
Pressed on Wilder, Hearn continued: “I think he has to come back and have a fight [first].
“I don’t think he wants to fight AJ straight off the bat.
“He’s supposed to have a fight, I’ve seen rumours of a fight but I’ve not seen a fight [announced].”
Wilder was supposed to be boxing Curtis Harper in the first half of this year but there is been radio silence since reports emerged claiming both men had signed their sides of the deal.
‘The Bronze Bomber’ looked like a shadow of his former self in losses to Parker and Zhilei Zhang last time out but is now vying to rebuild his career.
