Five next fights for Anthony Joshua after Jermaine Franklin including Tyson Fury and little-known unbeaten fighter

ANTHONY JOSHUA cannot wait for his next big fight after beating Jermaine Franklin on points.

The Brit admitted he was not at his best against the American but he was rarely troubled as he secured victory via unanimous decision.

Now AJ is eyeing his next big fight after calling out Tyson Fury in the ring after his win.

The pair have constantly been tipped to face off but after previous talks broke down Joshua may have to look elsewhere.

The former world champion wants his next bout to be in the summer, and there are several potential opponents to choose from.

Here SunSport takes a look at the five fighters Joshua could face as he looks to recover his former glory.

Tyson Fury

For a while last year it appeared that Fury v Joshua – billed as the biggest British clash of all time – was on. But things fell apart rapidly.

The situation could look different in 2023 however, especially after the Gypsy King’s negotiations with Oleksandr Usyk fell apart in equally explosive fashion.

For Joshua the fight would be a chance to regain his seat at the top of the heavyweight table and take the WBC belt.

While Fury has an opportunity to bring down the only current domestic boxer who can rival him in fame and prestige.

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If it were to finally happen, the pre-fight hype will draw in viewers beyond traditional fight fans and make global sporting headlines.

Joshua is keen to agree a deal and give the fans what they want, while also getting a shot at the WBC title.

He said after beating Franklin: “I try and provide for the fans, I know who the fans want – who do the fans want? They said Fury, yeah? The ball is in his court.

“I would be 100 per cent honoured to compete for the WBC Championship of the world.

“I stand here and say that proudly, that would be an honour.

“Wherever you are, if you are listening, you know my management, you know my promoter, we’ve had dialogue before so let’s continue this and hopefully we can get this done sooner rather than later. We aren’t getting any younger.

“I can’t wait to get back to Texas, develop and push on because there’s a bigger fight, you know how one fight leads onto another, I can’t wait to get the next big fight.”

Dillian Whyte

If the fight with Fury cannot be made, another all-British clash with Dillian Whyte could still present a good opportunity for AJ.

The pair share an intriguing history with the Body Snatcher beating Joshua on points in an amateur bout back in 2009.

But the former WBA, IBF, WBO and IBO champion would have his revenge with a vicious uppercut knockout when they met professionally in 2015.

This one could be on the cards for the summer as Whyte looks to build on last November’s controversial win over Jermaine Franklin.

And while Joshua will go into the fight as favourite, victory is far from certain in what should be another entertaining heavyweight clash.

However Whyte claimed it might be best for Joshua to call it quits after watching him in action last night.

He told BBC 5 Live: “Joshua has lost all his aggression and killer instincts.

“If he doesn’t want to do it any more, I think he should stop.”

Joe Joyce

Joe Joyce’s stock has never been higher in the heavyweight division.

September’s epic brawl with Joseph Parker saw the formidable New Zealander lose by knockout for the first time in his career.

Suddenly Joyce’s reputation rose to such an extent that he was even called out by Tyson Fury during one of his rambling social media videos.

Now 37 and with a 15-0 professional record, Joyce’s team will likely not think twice about accepting a bout with a name as big as AJ. While Joshua may deem the Juggernaut a more realistic and exciting opponent than either Fury or Whyte.

First things first, Joyce has to get past Zhilei Zhang later this month.

Filip Hrgovic

Filip Hrgovic might not be the first boxer who comes to mind when fight fans dream up Joshua’s next opponent.

But he may be the most realistic, with the Croatian putting himself in a good position in the IBF rankings after last year’s win over Zhang.

Hrgovic was at one point set to have mandatory fights against Usyk and against Andy Ruiz Jr but both have been seemingly put on the back-burner.

But now it could be a mandatory fight against Joshua up next for the unbeaten boxer, depending on rankings and decision-making from the IBF.

Hrgovic would be seeking to defend his interim IBF title and could pose a serious threat to the Brit.

Deontay Wilder

Few would complain about a mouthwatering clash between AJ and Wilder.

The parallels between the pair are obvious with Joshua and the Bronze Bomber once the kings of the heavyweight division.

But Wilder was beaten twice over the course of three extraordinary fights with Fury, while Joshua could not overcome streetwise Usyk despite his best efforts across two bouts.

Both have shown interest in making the fight happen and it would almost certainly attract huge audiences across sides of the pond.

And with both heavyweights entertaining heavy-hitters it is likely their clash would be among the best fights of the year.

Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk