Three Candidate Names Against Anthony Joshua Next

Anthony Joshua is likely to enter the ring in March 2024 against one of the three names on the list of potential opponents (Instagram/@anthonyjoshua).

JAKARTA Former world champion twice, Anthony Joshua, in his plans to return to the ring in March 2024 in Saudi Arabia.

Joshua has just secured his latest win over Otto Wallin on Sunday, December 24, 2023, in Saudi Arabia. It was his third win after losing twice in a row against Oleksandr Usyk.

Joshua's promoter, Eddie Hearn, has mentioned that there are three names currently on the list of potential opponents for his client. The names in question are Filip Hrgovic, UFC heavyweight champion, Francis Ngannou, and Chinese boxer Zhilei Zhang.

"Currently, we have three fights that are being discussed because everything is big," Hearn told IFL TV quoted by Boxing Scene.

Joshua was previously scheduled to face Deontay Wilder in March 2024. However, that fight will not happen because Wilder lost against Joseph Parker on the same card as Joshua vs Otto Wallin.

"This (fight) does not involve Deontay Wilder. Before March 2024, we discussed it, namely against the winner (Tyson) Fury versus Usyk. That's all we want to do," said Hearn.

"Obviously there is a fight against Hrgovic for the world heavyweight title. There is a fight against Francis Ngannou which will be very colossal. There are other heavyweight fights too, a fight with Zhang," he added.

Frank Warren's promoter of Queensberry, who is currently the main promoter of a boxing show in Saudi Arabia, has revealed on weekends that he is working on a March 2024 fight plan in Saudi Arabia.

Hrgovic is seen by many as the leading candidate to fight Joshua.

Usyk and WBC champion Tyson Fury are scheduled to clash in an undisputed battle on February 17, 2024 in Saudi Arabia.

There is a rematch contract for the duel. However, the IBF title is expected to be vacant after Fury and Usyk's first meeting so Hrgovic is a mandatory IBF challenger.

Therefore, the fight between Hrgovic and Joshua for the empty IBF belt has emerged as a very high possibility.