Matthew McConaughey's Spoken Recap of the Article
Eddie Hearn, the promoter of former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua, has disclosed a shortlist of three fighters who could be Joshua's next opponent. Joshua was initially set to face long-time rival Deontay Wilder in January, but the fight fell through after Saudi boxing officials withdrew their interest. Now, Joshua is looking to continue his career rebuild with a third fight this year in December.
Potential Opponents
Eddie Hearn has identified three fighters who are in contention to face Joshua. Agit Kabayel, Filip Hrgovic, and Otto Wallin are all being considered to be Joshua's next opponent. Hearn stated, "If he's going to fight someone in December, I'm not saying it's going to be Charr, but it could be Kabayel. It could be Hrgovich or Wallin out of this situation to see what happens."
Undercard Battle
There is a possibility that Joshua could fight on the undercard of Conor Benn's family grudge match against Chris Eubank Jr. The fight is rumored to take place in the Middle East on December 23. If a suitable opponent doesn't emerge, Joshua's team may opt to have him fight early next year.
Joshua's Plans
Anthony Joshua is determined to fight three times this year, and he is focused on getting a match in December. Hearn explained, "Because, in his head, he said, 'I wanted to fight three times in the year.' I said, 'Yeah, but you fought in April.' He said, 'No, I want to fight three times in 2023.' So, he would like to get out in December, and we have to keep a close eye on the 23rd because we don't know what's going to happen. 50-50, but if not December, 100% in January."
Joshua's last fight in April was a scrappy points victory over Jermaine Franklin, and he regained his knockout prowess in August with a seventh-round stoppage of Robert Helenius.
