BoxRec

Who Do You Want To See As Anthony Joshua's Next Opponent?

You have two choices.

Someone who tries to beat him.

I would say Haye but he never fights.

The only guys at heavy I care about are Wlad Wilder Fury Povetkin Joshua. No one else is any good. It's a 5 man division for me.

Me

Larry Holmes!!!

Considering the surprising fast destruction of Kevin Johnson, even though his next fight is in just seven weeks time, I don't think it can be against another soft touch or even a perceived durable fighter without the offense to bother Joshua.

I'm not sure who Matt Pulev is, but Kubrat Pulev is too big a step-up at this stage of his career.

Lucas Browne for the Commonwealth title would be a good option. Dereck Chisora for the British title would also make sense and would be a bit lower risk than fighting Browne. Tony Thompson immediately makes me think of the David Price fights - it is a risk, but Thompson is older and slower and providing Joshua doesn't share Price's china chin, he should pass the test.

David Price is a very poor option IMO because Price is even bigger than Joshua and probably just as big a puncher. Joshua needs rounds and it is highly unlikely that Price will provide them - he would either KO Joshua, or, more likely, be KO'd himself and probably early in the fight.

Alexander Ustinov would be a good option too.

Thompson.

Lets see Joshua in a competitive fight against somebody of a similar level.

Johnson is shot and the rest Joshua has beaten were way, way, way below his level.

Time to stop fking about.

Chisora, Thompson, Whyte or Wach would be ideal.

If I must chose from list - TT.

As has been said he needs rounds.

diddy wrote:If I must chose from list - TT.

As has been said he needs rounds.

He needs COMPETITION.

At the moment he is going into every fight KNOWING he cannot be challenged. That cannot be good for joshua he will get into bad habits. He needs competition.

jezzamundo wrote:Considering the surprising fast destruction of Kevin Johnson, even though his next fight is in just seven weeks time, I don't think it can be against another soft touch or even a perceived durable fighter without the offense to bother Joshua.

I'm not sure who Matt Pulev is, but Kubrat Pulev is too big a step-up at this stage of his career.

Lucas Browne for the Commonwealth title would be a good option. Dereck Chisora for the British title would also make sense and would be a bit lower risk than fighting Browne. Tony Thompson immediately makes me think of the David Price fights - it is a risk, but Thompson is older and slower and providing Joshua doesn't share Price's china chin, he should pass the test.

David Price is a very poor option IMO because Price is even bigger than Joshua and probably just as big a puncher. Joshua needs rounds and it is highly unlikely that Price will provide them - he would either KO Joshua, or, more likely, be KO'd himself and probably early in the fight.

Same goes for Lucas Browne, no?

Antonio Tarver or Shannon Briggs. I think that would be great.

I'd like to think Chisora might test him, but thinking about it again, I think Joshua would destroy him, especially if he comes in weighing the same as a Diplodocus!

Charr, Ustinov or Duahapas. Durable and they COME TO WIN. None of them are world beaters but they do come to win fights and that's the next step.

Boxing Prospect wrote:Charr, Ustinov or Duahapas. Durable and they COME TO WIN. None of them are world beaters but they do come to win fights and that's the next step.

agree at this notice, duhaupas. please not charr

duhaupas has beaten charr (who is limited like browne)

duhaupas is a very good option for 6 weeks
if pushing some1 like rekowski,
u got malik scott but he'll get blown out in 1 round

Chisora or Thompson which could be another two possible blowouts maybe Stiverne?

Tony Thompson is THE heavyweight gatekeeper as far as I'm concerned. If you're going to be anything in the division, you should be able to get past him. If you don't, you're found out. He's durable and he's big too (6'5" or something, right?).

Outside of that I voted for 'someone else' because I think Ustinov would be interesting as he's massive, although the couple of fights I've seen him in I wasn't all that impressed with him, he's still a test.

And of course Wach, who's massive too and has a great chin and would probably take him the distance.

I think super heavies like Joshua should be fighting other big men. Wladamir, Wilder and Fury seem like they're the top dogs and so it seems pointless fighting 'small' opponents when if you're going to step it up you're going to have to fight the monsters. That's why I struggle a little to really get behind Fury, because he's the biggest guy out there (apart from Taishan Dong and he doesn't count because he's nowhere near ready to fight anybody with a pulse yet) yet keeps on taking fights with these 6'1, 6'2 guys. People say Lucas Browne is big. Have you seen that ifilm interview with him and Fury? Fury absolutely dwarfs him!

Speaking of which, what about Hughie Fury? That's a good one. I'd even buy a ticket for that if it had a half decent undercard and WASN'T at the Excel...

Dillian Whyte.

Boxing Prospect wrote:Charr, Ustinov or Duahapas. Durable and they COME TO WIN. None of them are world beaters but they do come to win fights and that's the next step.

Will they fight Joshua though? They have to because these guys should know they are on a one-way ticket to journeymanville.

Not particularly talking about these guys as I don't know for sure they won't take the fight, but in general I can't understand this reprehensible attitude among mediocre heavyweights who won't take fights. There's no record to protect or meal ticket to build to. You won't get a fight vs Wlad. Take the fight, try and win, and get paid some money. Why do they not fight each other?

clopixolacuphase wrote:Tony Thompson is THE heavyweight gatekeeper as far as I'm concerned. If you're going to be anything in the division, you should be able to get past him. If you don't, you're found out. He's durable and he's big too (6'5" or something, right?).

Outside of that I voted for 'someone else' because I think Ustinov would be interesting as he's massive, although the couple of fights I've seen him in I wasn't all that impressed with him, he's still a test.

And of course Wach, who's massive too and has a great chin and would probably take him the distance.

I think super heavies like Joshua should be fighting other big men. Wladamir, Wilder and Fury seem like they're the top dogs and so it seems pointless fighting 'small' opponents when if you're going to step it up you're going to have to fight the monsters. That's why I struggle a little to really get behind Fury, because he's the biggest guy out there (apart from Taishan Dong and he doesn't count because he's nowhere near ready to fight anybody with a pulse yet) yet keeps on taking fights with these 6'1, 6'2 guys. People say Lucas Browne is big. Have you seen that ifilm interview with him and Fury? Fury absolutely dwarfs him!

Speaking of which, what about Hughie Fury? That's a good one. I'd even buy a ticket for that if it had a half decent undercard and WASN'T at the Excel...

I think Hughie would get battered at this stage, no need to stick him in with Joshua yet, could lead to Hughie being finished before he has begun.

I have no doubt that Thompson would jump at the chance.
He probably would not win but he is not afraid to face anyone.

I`d like to see him face Takam, Chagaev or Charr in his next fight, but it won`t happen. He`ll fight a no hoper and then Dillan Whyte in September.

Cutman Scabbers wrote:

jezzamundo wrote:Considering the surprising fast destruction of Kevin Johnson, even though his next fight is in just seven weeks time, I don't think it can be against another soft touch or even a perceived durable fighter without the offense to bother Joshua.

I'm not sure who Matt Pulev is, but Kubrat Pulev is too big a step-up at this stage of his career.

Lucas Browne for the Commonwealth title would be a good option. Dereck Chisora for the British title would also make sense and would be a bit lower risk than fighting Browne. Tony Thompson immediately makes me think of the David Price fights - it is a risk, but Thompson is older and slower and providing Joshua doesn't share Price's china chin, he should pass the test.

David Price is a very poor option IMO because Price is even bigger than Joshua and probably just as big a puncher. Joshua needs rounds and it is highly unlikely that Price will provide them - he would either KO Joshua, or, more likely, be KO'd himself and probably early in the fight.

Same goes for Lucas Browne, no?

No. Browne is a big heavyweight with a good punch, but he is quite slow and I don't think he's as good offensively as David Price, though he does have a better chin. He's got a better chance of taking Joshua rounds, but a lesser chance of knocking him out, making him the better choice opponent in my eyes.

Lancenix wrote:Antonio Tarver or Shannon Briggs. I think that would be great.

Why do you want to see the most promising up-and-coming heavyweight destroy old men? On paper, Kevin Johnson was a better matchup than Briggs. Tarver's southpaw stance and craftiness could make things interesting, I guess, but he's really a natural cruiserweight and would be by far the smaller man.