The promoter of former two-time heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua – Eddie Hearn, indicates that everything is on track for his boxer to return to the ring in December.
Last month Joshua suffered the third defeat of his pro career when he was outboxed over twelve rounds by Oleksandr Usyk in their anticipated rematch.
Following that fight, Joshua openly stated that he was looking to make a quick return – with the month of December being the target.
“We’re all gunning for a December return”, Hearn told Daily Mail. “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. 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.”
One possibility is Joshua’s amateur rival, Chinese Olympian Zhang Zhilei – who lost a razor-close decision to Filip Hrgovic on the undercard to Joshua’s rematch with Usyk.
“I’d like to bring him home,” Hearn said. “Look, there’s the Zhang 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.”
