• Anthony Joshua feels motivated
• Discover who Joshua’s potential opponent is
• Usyk – four major heavyweight world titles holder
• Zhang wants to fight Anthony Joshua once again
• #UgSportsNow
British boxing sensation, Anthony Joshua, has announced that he is on the verge of finalizing an opponent for his upcoming fight. The charismatic heavyweight boxer, who has already showcased his prowess in the ring this year by knocking out former UFC champion Francis Ngannou, expressed his excitement about the negotiations for his next bout, stating, “I am feeling motivated.”
Speculation has been rife within the boxing community regarding Joshua’s potential opponent, with fellow countryman Daniel Dubois emerging as a strong contender. Dubois recently made headlines by defeating Filip Hrgovic to claim the IBF’s interim title. Despite the buzz surrounding a potential showdown between Joshua and Dubois, the International Boxing Federation (IBF) revealed to Sky Sports that no official request had been made to authorize the bout as an IBF world heavyweight title match.
Oleksandr Usyk boosts for holding all four major heavyweight world titles
Following his impressive victory over Tyson Fury, Ukrainian fighter Oleksandr Usyk currently holds all four major heavyweight world titles, including the IBF belt. This development has added further intrigue to Joshua’s search for his next challenger, with a number of contenders vying for a shot at the British boxing superstar.
Zhang shows interests in fighting Anthony Joshua once again
One such contender is Zhilei Zhang, who made a statement with a victory over Deontay Wilder on the same card as Dubois’ triumph over Hrgovic. Zhang, who faced Joshua at the 2012 Olympic Games in London and lost to the Watford native, has expressed his interest in stepping into the ring with AJ once again. However, Zhang’s camp revealed that they had not been approached about a potential matchup with Joshua at this time.
Parker told Sky Sports: “I’ve been boxing 11 to 12 years and I’ve found what works for me, the formula I’ve got, Andy Lee head trainer, George Lockhart and the work that we’ve been doing together.
” It’s been a grind ever since we’ve linked up the three of us. But everything is working very well and whatever we’re doing we want to keep it up.”
He thinks he now deserves a second bout with Joshua.
“There’s a lot of people that want to fight Anthony Joshua. I feel like with what I’ve done I can be in a position to fight him,” he said.
But he added: “To be honest, it’s not really about what I want and what he wants. It’s what everyone else wants and a lot of fights are happening in Saudi Arabia.
Usyk and Fury are scheduled to fight in December. If titles become vacant, Parker believes he should be in contention to fight for a world championship this year.
“I hope so,” he said. “With the belts all being [held by the] undisputed heavyweight champion of the world, there’s a rematch clause in place, but again these things may or may not happen.
“You never know how things are going to unfold,” he continued.
“So we’ll see. We’ll see what happens. But you’ve got Anthony Joshua…
” I let whatever happens happen and whatever fights they lock, they lock in and I’m ready for whoever.”
Another fighter eyeing a rematch with Joshua is Joseph Parker, the former WBO champion, who is set to make an announcement regarding his future plans. Parker, who lost the WBO belt to Joshua in 2018, has been in impressive form recently, securing victories over Wilder and Zhang, which has bolstered his case for a second shot at dethroning Joshua.
As the anticipation builds for the confirmation of Anthony Joshua’s next opponent, boxing enthusiasts around the world eagerly await the announcement that will set the stage for another thrilling showdown in the heavyweight division. With a pool of talented contenders vying for the opportunity to face Joshua, the boxing world is abuzz with speculation and excitement as the countdown to the highly anticipated matchup begins.
