EDDIE HEARN has given his blessing for a potential grudge match between Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder.
Former long-reigning WBC king continued his career resurgence last weekend with a sloppy split decision win over the retiring at The O2.
Anthony Joshua is being lined up for a July return to the ringCredit: AFP
A grudge match with long-time rival Deontay Wilder could be on the cards for AJCredit: PA
The Bronze Bomber , shouting to him, “Let’s do it”, as he made his way backstage.
AJ has yet to comment on the prospect of finally settling the score with the Alabama slammer.
But promoter is all in on a showdown between the pair, which has been nearly a decade in the making, before a proposed domestic dust-up with .
The Matchroom chief said: “We need a warm-up fight before we fight Tyson Fury!
“Because AJ is coming off an accident, he’s rehabilitating his body etcetera!
“We’ll take Deontay Wilder as a warm up fight!!
“And then we’ll fight Tyson Fury in December.”
Joshua and Wilder, 35 and 40 respectively, were on course to throw down in 2018 when they held all the heavyweight marbles.
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will make his return in April against Arslanbek Makhmudov while Oleksandr Usyk takes on the king of kickboxing Rico Verhoeven.
features for the first time since making the switch to Zuffa Boxing and Fabio Wardley will defend his newly won heavyweight crown against fellow Brit Daniel Dubois.
Canelo Alvarez will be hoping to return after his defeat to Terence Crawford and heavyweight king Oleksandr Usyk will also defend his straps.
A whole bunch of British stars could also take a leap into superstardom, with the likes of , Hamzah Sheeraz and Adam Azim ready to join the very top of the sport.
April
- Sat 11 – Tyson Fury vs Arslanbek Makhmudov – Netflix
- Sat 11 – Conor Benn vs Regis Prograis – Netflix
- Sat 18 – Ben Whittaker vs Braiain Suarez – DAZN
- Sat 18 – Manny Pacquiao vs Ruslan Provodnikov
- Sat 25 – Lawrence Okolie vs Tony Yoka – DAZN
May
- Sat 2 – Naoya Inoue vs Junto Nakatani – Undisputed super-bantamweight title – TBC
- Sat 2 – Zurdo Ramirez vs David Benavidez – WBA & WBO Cruiserweight titles – Prime Video
- Sat 9 – Fabio Wardley vs Daniel Dubois – WBO title – DAZN PPV
- Sat 16 – Dave Allen vs Filip Hrgovic – DAZN
- Sat 23 – Oleksandr Usyk vs Rico Verhoeven – WBC title – DAZN
June
- Sat 6 – Dalton Smith vs Alberto Puello – WBC super lightweight title – DAZN
- Sat 13 – Tommy Fury vs Eddie Hall – DAZN
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The fight, however, fell through when Wilder opted to face Fury, who he fought to a , instead.
Wilder has looked like a shadow of the terrifying puncher he was during his pomp in recent years, winning only three of his last seven outings.
And Hearn has no doubt in his mind how a long-overdue showdown with AJ will go for the American.
He continued: “I respect Wilder and I think he looked much better [against Chisora] than he has done previously.
Eddie Hearn has welcomed an Anthony Joshua warm-up fight with Deontay WilderCredit: Reuters
“But let me tell you, will walk through Wilder within three rounds.”
Joshua hasn’t set foot inside the ring since his sixth-round smashing of last December.
His entire life was turned upside down ten days after the Miami melee when he was involved in a, in his ancestral home of Nigeria.
A July ring return for the former two-time unified heavyweight champion has been tentatively mooted.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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