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Eddie Hearn Reveals Anthony Joshua’s Short List For July: Dillian Whyte Or Otto Wallin

Eddie Hearn revealed today the three options under consideration for Anthony Joshua’s next fight in July. Hearn’s three names on his short list for Joshua are Deontay Wilder, Otto Wallin and Dillian Whyte.

The idea is to give Joshua a step up from his last fight against Jermaine Franklin, who he handled with ease last Saturday night but failed to look impressive due to his timid approach to the battle and his failure to throw combinations.

Whyte is not a step up for Joshua. It’s more of a business-level fight that will bring in good money for AJ, Whyte & Matchroom. The fight won’t help Joshua prepare for a quality opponent like Tyson Fury or Deontay Wilder because Whyte is 100% over the hill at this stage of his career and is more of a second-tier level heavyweight.

Hearn says he wants Joshua (25-3, 22 KOs) to be firing on all eight cylinders later this year in December when he faces Tyson Fury or Deontay Wilder.

“I was relieved to get the win, in all honestly. I felt he’d get the win. There was a huge amount of pressure. Everyone was talking on fight week, ‘Lose and it’s retirement.’ They were probably right,'” Eddie Hearn told Ariel Helwani about Anthony Joshua’s fight last Saturday night against Jermaine Franklin in London.

“Dillian Whyte, Otto Wallin,” said Hearn when asked who he wants Joshua to fight in July. “Joe Joyce is another fight, he’s a tough fight, but I just feel that if we’re going to go into a Fury or Wilder, which is inevitable, I want him to go in with the best chance that he has.

“I feel that right now, he’s not at the optimum level to go into that fight. He would still go into them, and I would give him a chance in those fights. I believe he can win those fights, but I’d just like to see him firing going into those fights. What I saw on Saturday wasn’t AJ firing on all eight cylinders.

“As far as AJ is concerned, June or July could be the period where the Fury fight could happen. Fury is going to fight this summer. He has to. He’s not going to wait until November or December to fight Oleksandr Usyk.

“Fury-Usyk is dead for certainly the summer, but there’s a lot of people out there with a lot of money that have unfinished business with the world championship. So I feel there will be another push to make that fight later in the year.

“I want to see you manhandle people like that in the clinch. I want to see you brutalize the body and hit them around the side of the head,” said Hearn about what he wants to see from Joshua moving forward.

“When he did that in the closing rounds, he looked really dangerous. Sometimes we can expect a little too much, and we expected AJ to go in and destroy. So in that respect, some were a little disappointed, but maybe in reality, looking at the emotions after the Usyk fight, looking at the new trainer, and looking at the move, I’m sitting here happy on Monday, knowing I’m planning his next fight for July,” said Hearn.

Dillian Whyte Wants One More Fight Before Anthony Joshua Rematch, Shortlists 3 Potential Opponents

Dillian Whyte was in attendance at the sold-out O2 Arena on Saturday when Anthony Joshua scored a 12-round unanimous decision win (Scores of 118-111 and 117-111 x2) over American Jermaine Franklin.

Whyte immediately called for a bout with Joshua after the fight, criticising his rival’s performance. Whyte has a win over AJ going back to the amateurs but it was the 2012 Olympic gold medalist that emerged victorious when they met in the pro ranks in 2015.

‘The Bodysnatcher’ believes the score is 1-1 and told Sky Sports Boxing that he wants the trilogy bout with the 33-year-old from Watford. “British rivalries sell and this is a genuine rivalry. This is a trilogy so why not do it?”

The former WBC title challenger doesn’t think a fight with AJ will materialise until December anyway and will like to get another fight in first. “His nose is all bust up and splattered so he won’t be able to fight until September/October time maybe even December so that works better for me, I get one in June and then we can fight October/December.”

Whyte shortlisted three potential opponents he could face next, stating that the options were limited for his summer bout. “I’d love to fight in June. Chisora 3 is good, Carlos Takam is good, Pulev is there.”

A trilogy bout between Whyte and Derek Chisora has been rumoured for the last week or so and now looks to be a possibility. Carlos Takam upset 2016 Olympic gold medalist Tony Yoka last month in Paris. Kubrat Pulev hasn’t fought since his loss to Chisora last July.

Matchroom is in need of a headliner for their June 10 show and it may well be Dillian Whyte.

It was always going to be Whyte.

mickey1975 wrote: ↑04 Apr 2023, 03:36 It was always going to be Whyte.

He said he wants a tune up before AJ now.

Ruthless-RKO wrote: ↑04 Apr 2023, 04:04

mickey1975 wrote: ↑04 Apr 2023, 03:36 It was always going to be Whyte.

He said he wants a tune up before AJ now.

He already had one. Who is going to watch it? And if he's even half decent, he will get beat.

They might mention big names like Wilder and Fury but they wont happen I don't think, it'll be Whyte

Nightmare Roy wrote: ↑04 Apr 2023, 04:49 They might mention big names like Wilder and Fury but they wont happen I don't think, it'll be Whyte

Why change the time tested formula?

Wilder…. In our dreams only.

Feel like Whyte and miller are the best guys to try bring a bit of venom out in AJ. For that reason I’d probably go one in July the other in September…

Then you can try fight a reall top dog December or early next year.

if their cash is there to take a top dog a bit early it’s hard to say no to. I just think against those 2 guys AJ can earn back a bit of his scary reputation and by doing so would make a wilder or fury fight much bigger.

Aj vs Whyte, fury Vs Joyce, usyk vs DDD, wilder vs Ruiz…. Just make it happen baby sweet lil baby jesus.

He’s beaten whyte and if Joshua was to lose then it really is game over. He may as well fight wilder and at least he can come back. If he lost to whyte he’s fucked

Whyte could be the fight where he gets some spite back in his game.

Could be the best thing for him

Needs to be an opponent to bring a bit of spite back to AJ. Whyte or Miller.

Pointless fighting Wallin as he's a southpaw and Joshua will probably never face a southpaw again after that. He'd have been good prep for Usyk but that's gone now.

ashall2 wrote: ↑04 Apr 2023, 08:44 Needs to be an opponent to bring a bit of spite back to AJ. Whyte or Miller.

Pointless fighting Wallin as he's a southpaw and Joshua will probably never face a southpaw again after that. He'd have been good prep for Usyk but that's gone now.

Totally agree. It's needs someone like Whyte to get his juices flowing otherwise he will be a bit subdued, like he was on Saturday.

Personally, I'd like to see Joshua and Whyte both retire. I think they are now past their best and there is no point sticking around and getting hurt, especially when they don't need to. They have both given an awful lot to boxing.

I think Fury should contemplate retiring as well, if he is two minds about boxing. As frustrated as I have been with him of late, I don't want to see him, or anyone get hurt. It's just not worth it.

Preferably Wilder, would be ok with Whyte, Wallin would be acceptable but not the best. For his development under his new trainer he would probably prefer it in reverse to that. Get Whyte in with Wallin.

This version of Joshua could well get flattened by Wilder, a few years ago, pre ruiz, I'd have picked AJ to bash him up.

FW seems keen for Joyce next, cant see Hearn going any where near him and I wouldn't blame him right now.

Its a real quandary for Fast Ed tbh

If Joshua goes anywhere near Wilder (prob KO) or Fury (schooled like he was with Usyk) I’d be amazed.

Mind you. AJ 2018. A different animal

Nah, Dillian or Derrick
Needs a gatekeeper obviously.

Nightmare Roy wrote: ↑04 Apr 2023, 11:05 FW seems keen for Joyce next, cant see Hearn going any where near him and I wouldn't blame him right now.

Yes, I clocked that. Surely Fury vs Joyce would be bigger, for a belt, and easier to make?

big lennox wrote: ↑04 Apr 2023, 11:19

Nightmare Roy wrote: ↑04 Apr 2023, 11:05 FW seems keen for Joyce next, cant see Hearn going any where near him and I wouldn't blame him right now.

Yes, I clocked that. Surely Fury vs Joyce would be bigger, for a belt, and easier to make?

WBO mandatory for Uysk and belts is 3rd in line.
Fury fight has to be way to go.

JJ deserves a shot

Might have to take 5% though

big lennox wrote: ↑04 Apr 2023, 11:19

Nightmare Roy wrote: ↑04 Apr 2023, 11:05 FW seems keen for Joyce next, cant see Hearn going any where near him and I wouldn't blame him right now.

Yes, I clocked that. Surely Fury vs Joyce would be bigger, for a belt, and easier to make?

Cant see Fury wanting it either, Joyce is too good for his own good.

Even though I would love to see a fight with Wilder they need to keep Joshua away from him. Give him Wallin. Joshua needs more opponents to test his mettle and Whyte wouldn't do that.

si7dog7 wrote: ↑04 Apr 2023, 11:22

big lennox wrote: ↑04 Apr 2023, 11:19

Nightmare Roy wrote: ↑04 Apr 2023, 11:05 FW seems keen for Joyce next, cant see Hearn going any where near him and I wouldn't blame him right now.

Yes, I clocked that. Surely Fury vs Joyce would be bigger, for a belt, and easier to make?

WBO mandatory for Uysk and belts is 3rd in line.
Fury fight has to be way to go.

JJ deserves a shot

Might have to take 5% though

That's the only way I see the fight happening, which is if Joyce is prepared to accept a pittance

si7dog7 wrote: ↑04 Apr 2023, 11:13 Its a real quandary for Fast Ed tbh

If Joshua goes anywhere near Wilder (prob KO) or Fury (schooled like he was with Usyk) I’d be amazed.

Mind you. AJ 2018. A different animal

Nah, Dillian or Derrick
Needs a gatekeeper obviously.

Parker ?

Do we think Joshua returns in 3 months? Really?

He’s contracted to two fights a year with DAZN for up to five years. Eddie won’t want to jeopardise that pile of gold by having Wilder blast him out next fight.

He might not fight anyone dangerous til next summer at the earliest.