Anthony Joshua’s next two fights are already lined up, despite the dust hardly settling on a sixth-round knockout of Jake Paul on Saturday morning. The two-time former world heavyweight champion of the world met with the YouTuber-turned-boxer at the Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida, in the early hours (UK time), in a mega-fight which promised fireworks from start to finish.
In the end, it was a far tamer state of affairs, with Paul spending the majority of the fight on the back foot and running from AJ, while doing very little offensively to trouble the 36-year-old. The beginning of the end of the ‘Problem Child’ started to unfold in the fifth, when Joshua caught him clean with a left hand followed up by hooks as he tumbled to the canvas. While Paul ultimately made the count and survived to fight another round, the sixth proved disastrous.
A right hand initially set the 28-year-old down, who showed grit and determination to make the count and fight on. Moments later, he was back down on the canvas, but back to his feet as quickly as he went down. However, it was fourth time a charm for Joshua, who unleashed hooks to the body as well as a hard left and right good night combo to finish the job, Paul exasperated on the ground as the bout was waved off.
And while many fighters would be quick to rest and recover after a bout, Joshua made it clear in his post-fight speech that he was already eyeing up his next opponent in Tyson Fury. He told Ariel Helwani: « If Tyson Fury is as serious as he thinks he is, and he wants to put that on his Twitter fingers, and put on some gloves and come and fight one of the realest fighters out there that will take on any challenge.
« Step in the ring with me next if you’re a real bad boy. Don’t do all that talking, AJ this, AJ that. Let’s see you in the ring and talk with your fists. »
While fight fans world wide will be relishing a potential super fight between the two, who have been on a collision course for the entirety of their professional careers, Joshua could have another opponent to deal with before a dance under the bright lights with the Gypsy King.
That’s because as per reports, Joshua is said to have a warm-up bout for Fury planned for February 14 in Saudi Arabia. It is unknown whether either bout will come to fruition as of yet, nor who Joshua’s first opponent will be at the turn of the new year.
It comes as Joshua’s promotor, Eddie Hearn, was also vocal in his aspirations to see AJ meet Fury in the ring next year – a bout which would likely take place in the late summer as per Frank Warren of Queensberry Promotions if negotiations can be completed. Speaking in the ring, Hearn said: « Listen, we want the Tyson Fury fight, of course.
« That’s the fight, that’s the biggest fight in boxing. And respect to that man as well, he did a great job tonight. Good rounds in the bag for Anthony Joshua, 2026 back to the real business. Tyson Fury and the world havyweight championship. »
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