Anthony Joshua has named his favourite ever opponent ahead of facing domestic rival Tyson Fury later this year.

Their long-awaited showdown is set to be staged in November, yet there has still been no announcement regarding a specific date, location and promoter.

Perhaps more importantly, Joshua and Fury must also come through their respective warm-up fights against Kristian Prenga and Mariusz Wach, which will take place at the end of this month in Saudi Arabia and Thailand.

Both are heavily favoured to emerge victorious on that particular weekend, yet there is always the possibility of an injury or upset.

It is more likely, however, that the two British heavyweights will eventually lock horns, albeit at a time when they are long past their primes.

Both were considered close to their best when they secured respective victories over Wladimir Klitschko, who ‘AJ’ defeated with an 11th-round finish in 2017.

This came after Fury dethroned the long-reigning champion in 2015, yet Joshua’s triumph was nonetheless considered an impressive result at the time.

And with no shortage of respect between the Brit and Ukrainian, it is hardly surprising that Joshua has named Klitschko as his favourite ever opponent.

Speaking with DAZNthe 36-year-old immediately said “Wladimir” when asked the question, perhaps reflecting on their thrilling encounter at Wembley Stadium.

Both heavyweights had suffered ponderous knockdowns, with ‘AJ’ being sent to the canvas for the first time in his career in the sixth roundbut it was Joshua who ultimately floored his older opponent on two more occasions in round 11.

Having already claimed the IBF belt, the then-unbeaten champion added the vacant WBA strap to his collection and reigned as the unified king until 2019, when he suffered a major upset defeat to Andy Ruiz Jr.

“I think Josh Kelly’s a little bit more hard fight, believe it or not, than Vergil Ortiz. Styles make fights,” said Bradley on his channel. “Josh Kelly don’t look like much, but he’s quick. He got good reflexes. He got some pop on his shots. He’s very deceiving. And he got legs. He gonna move around all night. Boots gonna have to chase. He gonna have to chase.”

Bradley compared Kelly’s style with Vergil Jr’s aggressive approach, saying Ennis has historically performed best against opponents who come forward looking to exchange.

“They like guys that stand in front of them. Vergil Ortiz, yeah, they like guys that stand in front of them,” Bradley said.

Despite calling Kelly the trickier matchup, Bradley still expects Ennis to win. He believes the unified champion would eventually solve Kelly’s movement by cutting off the ring and landing combinations that break through the British contender’s defense.

“I think Boots will eventually catch up with him, cut him off, hurt him with a large shot,” Bradley said. “As long as Boots is pressing forward, cutting off the ring, preparing himself for boxers, he should have no problem beating Josh Kelly. However, it’s going to take a little bit more time for him to get to him.”

Kelly (18-1-1, 9 KOs) has rebuilt his career since suffering the lone defeat of his professional career to David Avanesyan in 2021. The former Olympian has won seven straight fights and has repeatedly called for a world title opportunity.

Ortiz (24-0, 22 KOs), meanwhile, remains one of the leading names in the division after defeating Israil Madrimov and Bakhram Murtazaliev. A fight between Ortiz and Ennis has been discussed for months and is viewed by many fans as one of the biggest matchups that can be made at 154 pounds.

Bradley’s comments are likely to spark debate, as Vergil Jr. is widely regarded as the more perilous puncher. Bradley, however, believes Kelly’s mobility and elusive style would require Ennis to solve a different kind of puzzle before getting the victory.

Veteran boxing reporter Dan Rafael broke the news on X.

“Per source involved, Tony Yoka has suffered a back injury and is out of his fight with WBA heavyweight titlist Murat Gassiev,” Rafael wrote. “Undetermined yet if it will be rescheduled or if a modern opponent will be sought.”

No official replacement has been announced, and it remains unclear whether organizers will move quickly to find another opponent for Gassiev or postpone the bout altogether.

The contest was scheduled to headline a July 11 card at Moscow’s VTB Arena and would have been the first defense of Gassiev’s WBA “Regular” heavyweight title. The former unified cruiserweight champion has been looking to establish himself as a force in the heavyweight division after capturing the secondary WBA belt earlier this year.

For Yoka, the withdrawal is another frustrating setback. The 2016 Olympic gold medalist had been aiming to secure the biggest victory of his professional career after rebuilding momentum with recent wins following a hard stretch that included several defeats and multiple canceled opportunities.

With little more than a week remaining before the event, promoters now face a race against the clock to determine whether Gassiev will defend his title against a tardy replacement or if the fight will have to be pushed back to a later date.

On paper, it was a curious title defense from the moment it was announced. Yoka remained a recognizable name because of his 2016 Olympic gold medal, but his professional career never matched the hype. Nine years after turning pro, the 15-3 Frenchman had built his record largely against circumscribed opposition, while each of his biggest tests against Martin Bakole, Carlos Takam and Ryad Merhy ended in defeat.