Who will be next for AJ?
Last Saturday night, September 21, a record-breaking crowd watched in shock as underdog Daniel Dubois (22-2, 21KO) destroyed two-time word champion Anthony Joshua (28-4, 25KO) in five rounds to retain his IBF World heavyweight belt.
Despite falling to a fourth defeat and second failure to recapture his titles, AJ insists he will still continue with his quest to become a three-time world champion.
Many have voiced their concerns over his health, urging the fallen fighter to retire, but promoter Eddie Hearn is adamant that AJ will trigger the rematch clause to challenge Dubois again in 2025, with the victor of the rerun poised to fight the winner of Oleksandr Usyk vs Tyson Fury in an undisputed clash.
So AJ could still become a triple champion in his next fight. Dubois’ team have already said the rematch wouldn’t be ideal to hold the young 27-year-old back, who is due a break after fighting three times in nine months. However, if Joshua triggers the clause, then he has no choice other than to fight or give up the belt.
If AJ decides to fight someone else, BBN decided to pick a shortlist of the top five opponents out there for him…
Martin Bakole (21-1, 16KO)
WBC #3, WBA #1, IBF #5, WBO #4, IBO #5
Both boxers have African roots, which will create a great backstory and theme to this matchup. If it was held in Africa, where Bakole is a huge hero, it could even be titled ‘Rumble in the Jungle 2’!
The Congolese combatant is in the highest position he has ever reached in his 10-year career, which has had a lot of bumps in the road.
Now 32, a loss to Michael Hunter way back in 2018 paved a hard road to come back from, but he has endured with wins over Mariusz Wach, Kevin Johnson, Tony Yoka, Carlos Takam and, most recently, Jared Anderson.
What’s so special about these victories is that he stopped Johnson and Takam within five rounds, which is no easy task.
Olympian Tony Yoka was hotly-tipped to become a world heavyweight champion until Bakole halted his meteoric rise with a points win in the Frenchman’s backyard; then went to LA to stop another fast-rising star in Jared Anderson in five rounds, with some heavy knockdowns.
The African prince, who trains in Scotland with Billy Nelson, is finally where he belongs. He is now high-risk, high-reward, where, arguably, only a short while ago he was considered high-risk, low reward.
Agit Kabayel (25-0, 17KO)
WBC #2, WBA #6, IBF #4, WBO #5, IBO #6
BoxRec have the unbeaten German highly ranked at No.4 in the world, directly underneath Tyson Fury. Plus, he his ranked in the top six with every governing body.
The 32-year-old has had a conventional rise in the pro ranks, fighting the usual suspects early on, working up from journeymen to gatekeepers, to bigger, riskier names, such as Derek Chisora in 2017, passing those acid tests to then take 50-50 fights with Arslanbek Makhmudov and Frank Sanchez, which he qualified with stoppage wins in rounds four and seven, respectively.
No.5 on BoxRec is AJ, so this would be an acceptable fight for the public to get behind.
Deontay Wilder
WBC #12, IBO #33
Wilder is in the wilderness right now, but one victory would catapult him straight back up into contention again.
These two were meant to meet years ago, each one accusing the other of ducking the fight, so if they came together now, it will still be a big affair, with plenty of needle added in.
It would be a battle of the right hands, with both men unable to pull the trigger in their last fights, but now they each have more static targets in front of them. Whoever lands first will fall.
It would be a true redemption story for the winner of this fight. Plus, it would settle the debate, after years and years of arguments over who would win.
Wilder is well past his prime though, so there are underwhelming tones to this fight for the boxing purists, but the casuals would lap it up!
Andy Ruiz Jr.
WBC #13, IBO #18
The trilogy decider! Still, to this day, there’s unfair talk of Ruiz’s incredible shock win over AJ in June 2019 as a fluke!
The Mexican-American suffered from a flash knockdown in the third, but jumped straight back to his feet, a little shocked at going down for the first time in his career, but far from hurt. AJ crudely rushed in for the finish and was caught with a left hook to the temple, of which he bravely tried but couldn’t recover from, going down a further three times before he was stopped in the seventh in what was one of the biggest upsets in heavyweight boxing history.
AJ bounced back with a masterful points win over his first ever conqueror, but it was against an overweight, unfit Ruiz, who tried to engage AJ, but the Brit stayed back behind his jab and boxed sensibly long for the full 12 rounds.
Ruiz has wanted to get his shot at AJ again for years, but the ‘Destroyer’s’ career has stalled terribly, fighting just once in the last two years, and that was to a draw with Jarrell Miller, where the 35-year-old struggled over the distance.
Completing the trilogy makes sense, but, as mentioned earlier, there’s many that still don’t put respect on Ruiz’s name, so this fight may not be received warmly.
Jarrell Miller
WBA #13, IBO #27
These two were also once due to meet, but Miller’s multiple failed drug tests put an end to that. After serving his bans, the drug cheat is back in the ring, involved in high-profile fights.
He was defeated for the first time in his career by Daniel Dubois in December last year, via a TKO in the last eight seconds of the 10-round showdown in Saudi.
Although he troubled DDD in some of the early rounds, the Brit was able to make changes to turn the tide and gradually wore the ‘Big Baby’ down with his workrate and aggression.
In August this year, the New Yorker took former world heavyweight champion Andy Ruiz to a mixed decision draw over 12-rounds in LA. Two cards were returned even, but the third judge had it 116-112 to Miller.
Ruiz blamed inactivity for his failure to win, being his first fight 23 months. The pair are due to run it back, but if AJ offers either one a fight, they will drop everything to accept.
Who else?
Joseph Parker – The Kiwi’s stock is high right now, there’s history, Parker wants to settle the score from their 2018 fight, and both boxers are popular in the UK. AJ would definitely love to get his hands on his WBO Interim World title.
Dillian Whyte – This rivalry will always excite fans, especially in the UK. They also have a trilogy to decide, with the score 1-1 over amateur and pro.
Filip Hrgovic – The Croatian would be a credible scalp for AJ, and his inability to put a dent in Dubois with those bi right hands could present a lower risk than some other opponents.