If Eddie pulls this fight as Joshua's 1st defense then we will know that Eddie is thinking of the true boxing fans.
Stiverne is a great litmus test. He took some of Wilders best shots and if AJ was to stop him that would be a big statement. I cannot think of a better opponent that is available and worthy without conning the fans. Come on Eddie, you owe us......make it happen.
Stiverne is probably the best next opponent risk vs reward wise, but Stiverne is not really very good and Joshua should be able to win pretty easily if he's world class.
It's frankly a ridiculous situation Joshua finds himself in. I doubt neither him nor Hearn will be rubbing their hands together as there's not really a lot of money to be made, and no tests that Joshua can use to continue his development. These are going to be nothing more than keep warm fights.
The IBF is a joke, none more than the fact they stripped Fury when they did, and the two boxers who they had fighting over the vacant belt. Let's just say it's keeping Joshua limber before he battles out for the other belts.
AJ said in the Sky Sports News centre that he wanted his first title defense to be against Dillian Whyte but Whyte is not ranked in the current IBF Heavyweight rankings:
1 NOT RATED
2 NOT RATED
3 Erkan Teper
4 Carlos Takam
5 Joseph Parker
6 Kubrat Pulev
7 Vyacheslav Glazkov
8 Derek Chisora
9 Andy Ruiz
10 Charles Martin
11 Johan Duhaupas
12 David Haye
13 Dominic Breazeale
14 Eric Molina
15 Jarrell Miller
Eddie Hearn has revealed a three-man shortlist of US-based fighters as he considers opponents for Anthony Joshua's first defence of the IBF title.
Promoter Hearn is hoping to build Joshua's profile in the United States and has named a trio of possible foes: former WBC champion Bermane Stiverne (25-2-1-KO21), Eric Molina (25-3-KO19) and Dominic Breazeale (17-0-KO15).
"The IBF put out their new rankings today and we have to box someone in the top 15 of those rankings," Hearn told Sky Sports.
"We expect from those rankings the likes of Bermane Stiverne, Eric Molina, Dominic Breazeale. Those kind of people will be in the mix. There has been big interest from US broadcasters in Anthony Joshua. I think a US opponent makes sense for us.
"He wants to go in with a real test and a bigger test than what he has been facing so far. The likes of those guys will provide that opportunity.
"Stiverne is a solid fighter. Eric Molina is just coming off a big win against Tomasz Adamek, a good fighter, went 10 rounds with Deontay Wilder and rocked him in the fight as well. Breazeale is dangerous, 17-0, 15 knockouts, 6ft 8in Olympian, so these are real guys and he wants a real fight."
Crease wrote:1 NOT RATED
2 NOT RATED
3 Erkan Teper
4 Carlos Takam
5 Joseph Parker
6 Kubrat Pulev
7 Vyacheslav Glazkov
8 Derek Chisora
9 Andy Ruiz
10 Charles Martin
11 Johan Duhaupas
12 David Haye
13 Dominic Breazeale
14 Eric Molina
15 Jarrell Miller
For me, from that list - Bermane Stiverne is definitely the best candidate to fight. Being a former World Champion helps sell the fight for AJ, and Stiverne can take a punch (as evidenced by going the full distance with Wilder) so he might get a few good rounds of this guy.
Crease wrote:1 NOT RATED
2 NOT RATED
3 Erkan Teper
4 Carlos Takam
5 Joseph Parker
6 Kubrat Pulev
7 Vyacheslav Glazkov
8 Derek Chisora
9 Andy Ruiz
10 Charles Martin
11 Johan Duhaupas
12 David Haye
13 Dominic Breazeale
14 Eric Molina
15 Jarrell Miller
For me, from that list - Bermane Stiverne is definitely the best candidate to fight. Being a former World Champion helps sell the fight for AJ, and Stiverne can take a punch (as evidenced by going the full distance with Wilder) so he might get a few good rounds of this guy.
Crease wrote:1 NOT RATED
2 NOT RATED
3 Erkan Teper
4 Carlos Takam
5 Joseph Parker
6 Kubrat Pulev
7 Vyacheslav Glazkov
8 Derek Chisora
9 Andy Ruiz
10 Charles Martin
11 Johan Duhaupas
12 David Haye
13 Dominic Breazeale
14 Eric Molina
15 Jarrell Miller
For me, from that list - Bermane Stiverne is definitely the best candidate to fight. Being a former World Champion helps sell the fight for AJ, and Stiverne can take a punch (as evidenced by going the full distance with Wilder) so he might get a few good rounds of this guy.
Stiverne isn't on the list!
I reckon it'll be Breazeale or Molina.
Crease wrote:AJ said in the Sky Sports News centre that he wanted his first title defense to be against Dillian Whyte but Whyte is not ranked in the current IBF Heavyweight rankings:
Rob3_142 wrote:It's frankly a ridiculous situation Joshua finds himself in. I doubt neither him nor Hearn will be rubbing their hands together as there's not really a lot of money to be made, and no tests that Joshua can use to continue his development. These are going to be nothing more than keep warm fights.
The IBF is a joke, none more than the fact they stripped Fury when they did, and the two boxers who they had fighting over the vacant belt. Let's just say it's keeping Joshua limber before he battles out for the other belts.
Not a lot of money to be made?
Joshua will earn millions for routine defences. Didn't he earn a few million for fighting Whyte? He is big business in the boxing world. Stiverne and co will ask for big purses and they will get it. Joshua will be PPV over here everytime he steps in the ring.
Rob3_142 wrote:It's frankly a ridiculous situation Joshua finds himself in. I doubt neither him nor Hearn will be rubbing their hands together as there's not really a lot of money to be made, and no tests that Joshua can use to continue his development. These are going to be nothing more than keep warm fights.
The IBF is a joke, none more than the fact they stripped Fury when they did, and the two boxers who they had fighting over the vacant belt. Let's just say it's keeping Joshua limber before he battles out for the other belts.
Not a lot of money to be made?
Joshua will earn millions for routine defences. Didn't he earn a few million for fighting Whyte? He is big business in the boxing world. Stiverne and co will ask for big purses and they will get it. Joshua will be PPV over here everytime he steps in the ring.
I kinda get the Dillian Whyte (old rivalry) and Martin (fighting IBF world champion) PPV, but do you really think they could make Molina or Breazeale? I know the drill, he's a big shot and they'll put him on PPV regardless of who he's fighting, but I'm just not convinced many would buy either.
I can already see the angle which Hearn would go with both, but I already know I wouldn't buy either. I know Martin was a weak opposition, but he was a relative unknown, but I think it's fair to say we know a bit more about Molina (already gone 10 rounds with Wilder) and Breazeale (2012 Olympian) already.
Rob3_142 wrote:I kinda get the Dillian Whyte (old rivalry) and Martin (fighting IBF world champion) PPV, but do you really think they could make Molina or Breazeale? I know the drill, he's a big shot and they'll put him on PPV regardless of who he's fighting, but I'm just not convinced many would buy either.
I can already see the angle which Hearn would go with both, but I already know I wouldn't buy either. I know Martin was a weak opposition, but he was a relative unknown, but I think it's fair to say we know a bit more about Molina (already gone 10 rounds with Wilder) and Breazeale (2012 Olympian) already.
It'll sell and sell well.
The danger is that he'll learn bugger all and soon might be pressured into fighting one of the big dogs.
Joshua needs to defend against decent opposition as he needs to learn pretty fast. He might be taking on fighters who are many times better than anyone that he's fought so far, quite soon.
lillywhite14 wrote:It will sell, even though it shouldn't really, but Joshua is huge now. It's ridiculous. He'll be more popular than Hatton the way things are going.
lillywhite14 wrote:It will sell, even though it shouldn't really, but Joshua is huge now. It's ridiculous. He'll be more popular than Hatton the way things are going.
How would a stoppage loss affect his popularity?
When you have a guy as 'humble' as him; a loss might make him more popular. A la Bruno (and I'm serious... Brits love pluck and an underdog. If he got beaten, acted all humble, made the right noises, talked about coming back for the fans.... Before you know it, you've got a massive story.... And when he beats a body, suddenly he's back. Defeat never damaged Bruno's popularity.
Hearn is using the Bruno blueprint of humbleness whilst being a big punching destroyer.... But he's giving it a modern polish and making the sell slightly more sophisticated and less 'Uncle Tom'. But the same schtick ultimately
