BY ILEMOBAYO OGUNTUSIN
Eddie Hearn, a British sports promoter and the chairman of Matchroom Sports and Professional Darts Cooperation, has announced that Anthony Joshua, a fighter from Nigeria, will fight again in July after defeating Jermaine Franklin by unanimous decision on April 1. This will be Joshua’s second fight of 2023.
Before announcing that the British-Nigerian Anthony Joshua will return to the ring in July, Eddie Hearn revealed that American boxing promoter and attorney Bob Arum had contacted to attempt to set up Tyson Fury vs. Anthony Joshua as the next fight.
The Gypsy King’s team and the Matchroom Boxing promoter engaged in lengthy negotiations on two consecutive occasions before the heavyweight division was abruptly changed, much to the dismay of fans all around the world.
Yet, there is a real possibility that Fury vs. Joshua may take place next, provided that AJ and his camp are eager to engage in that matchup right away.
Despite his radio quiet, Joshua is now on his radar, and Hearn has now got a call from promoter Arum to try to get things moving. He still isn’t sure what he’s going to do with AJ.
Simply choose the style of fight you want for July, Hearn said to iFL TV. “Do we immediately start fighting badly now? I received a call from Bob Arum recently, which caught me off guard. What are you thinking? he asked when merely discussing AJ Fury.
Meanwhile, Joshua stated that he will be ready to fight Fury after his victory over Jermaine Franklin, but if Anthony Joshua is to take a more sensible approach, he’ll look to keep winning fights under new trainer Derrick James.