ANTHONY JOSHUA’s next fight won’t be another extravagant stadium show.
The former two-time heavyweight champion will bid to resurrect his career in December following back-to-back defeats to Oleksandr Usyk.
But promoter Eddie Hearn has revealed the Brit’s bid to return to the win column will take place in front of a more intimate crowd than he’s been accustomed to in recent years.
The Matchroom Boxing chief told The Daily Mail: “I’d like to bring him home.
“Look, there’s the Zhang [Zhieli] fight. A lot of people think he beat Filip Hrgovic and that’s a big fight in China, but I just feel that the next fight should be in the UK.
“It will be at the O2 or Manchester Arena, we won’t do a stadium fight.”
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Preliminary talks are underway with both venues, although neither arena is currently leading the race to stage Joshua’s return to the UK.
Hearn added: “We’re all gunning for a December return. It’s not confirmed, but that’s where everyone’s minds are at.
“We’re not booking a venue, but the conversations – as recently as yesterday – were December for his return.”
An opponent for Joshua’s crucial December dust-up has not yet been decided, although Hearn is adamant it won’t be a gimme fight for the Watford warrior.
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He said: “I don’t want to start mentioning names, but it’s a top 15 fight.
“It will be someone credible, who AJ can come back, express himself against and build on what he’s learning in camp.
“He can then build himself back up to fighting for a heavyweight title again.”
Joshua, 32, suffered a split decision defeat to Usyk in their Saudi showdown last month, although he was comfortably outboxed by the Ukrainian.
And he was in no mood for speaking after returning to the dressing room following his fired-up post-fight speech.
Hearn said: “He didn’t want a conversation, it was that sort of vibe. We went back into the changing room and he was extremely frustrated.
“I actually went over to talk to him and to everyone he was like, ‘Leave me alone’.
“I said, ‘No, I won’t leave you alone. I’ve got to tell you, you boxed well’. He said, “No I f didn’t box well, I lost”.
“I said, ‘No, you boxed well. In the first fight, you didn’t box well, and I’ve told you that.
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“But after nine rounds, I was convinced you were going to win this fight’.
“Usyk was amazing in the 10th, 11th and 12th rounds, and the better man won, but Joshua took him all the way.”
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Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
