Eddie Hearn discusses plans to close the chapter on Anthony Joshua’s career
Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn has revealed who he wants Anthony Joshua to fight next as he maps out a plan to close the curtains on his career.
Assessing the 34-year-old’s options, Hearn said: “When you look back at his defeats, we’ve always jumped straight back in.
“When he lost to Andy Ruiz, everyone said ‘whatever you do, don’t fight Ruiz straight away. Come back, have a 10-rounder’.
“AJ went, ‘absolutely no chance – I should’ve beaten Ruiz, I can beat Ruiz, let me rematch him’. He goes out and wins every round.
“[Oleksandr] Usyk – a lot of people said we shouldn’t have fought him in the first place. AJ got well beaten there.
“[I thought] I know it’s a shot at the world heavyweight title again, but… no. [He thought], ‘I’m rematching Usyk’. He performed much better, but didn’t win.
“Now, we feel that we should be beating Daniel Dubois, and we can beat Daniel Dubois. But are you ready to go straight back in with him?
“We have that option under contract. I know that His Excellency wants the immediate rematch. Probably February time. Is that too early? Is there a spot later? We know that Riyadh Season finishes at the end of February/early March.”
Hearn added: “Do we wait for Tyson Fury? If Tyson Fury loses [to Usyk in December], I think AJ and Fury should have two fights and sail off into the sunset.
“If Tyson Fury wins, he defends against AJ for the unified world heavyweight championship. So, we get another crack at the title there as well.
“In AJ’s mind, he will want to go straight back in with Dubois. I know what he’s like. But this is a very important decision and we’re three days after the fact. So, give us a bit of time.
“Then make a decision for what will be the closing chapter of his career. I said to him you’ve got between one and three fights left.
“Then the phone went very quiet. It was the realisation that we’re on the home straight. Hopefully the final chapter can be the best yet.”