Arslanbek Makhmudov reminded Anthony Joshua of his “promise” to fight.
Makhmudov previously revealed an exchange of messages on social media in which Joshua appeared to welcome the ring meeting.
Makhmudov could be a future opponent for Joshua after dominating Dave Allen in their heavyweight clash in Sheffield earlier this month.
Former IBF, WBA and WBO heavyweight champion Joshua has not fought since last year’s knockout loss to Daniel Dubois, but he is planning a comeback, culminating in a breathtaking fight with Tyson Fury.
This tour may include a meeting with Makhmudov, who said Heavenly sports: “I’m ready, I did my job, I came to the UK and won against Allen.
“But by the way, I talked to AJ before the fight. He promised me that if I win this fight against Allen, he will fight me later.”
Makhmudov’s rise through the heavyweight ranks was interrupted by unexpected defeats to Agit Kabayel and Guido Vianello, but he was reminded of the threat he poses when he defeated Allen.
The Canadian native currently has 19 knockouts in 21 wins, so he could be seen as a measure of Joshua’s comeback.
However, Joshua also plans to fight in Africa, and his plans must include his ideal opponent. Joshua’s promoter, Matchroom’s Eddie Hearn, has confirmed that there will be a separate show in Ghana without the former superstar champion to kick off his company’s presence in Africa.
“We’re playing a show in Ghana on December 20,” Hearn said Ring.
“Of course it won’t be AJ’s performance, but it will still be a good performance.
“The idea is that this is probably a precursor to the AJ show, but it’s not part of our initial deal. This allows us to just get the lay of the land.”
Joshua, whose roots are from Nigeria, has always been keen to fight on the continent where Muhammad Ali’s renowned film Rumble in the Jungle was staged.
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A breakthrough fight in Africa could be the beginning of a dream fight with Fury that boxing fans have been clamoring for for generations.
Hearn discussed the 2026 Joshua vs. Fury fight with Turki Alalshikh, chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority. He told ESPN that Alalshikh “is probably the only one who can make the fight with Tyson Fury because they will both want a huge amount of money.”
Hearn also told ESPN: “When we fight Fury or anyone who ever fights a massive fight in 2026, we’d just like to get some momentum going, which is good news for fight fans because he wants to fight, he wants to be dynamic. When I told him you probably have another 18 months, and he said, ‘Why are you counting that out?’
“I was in Riyadh [earlier this month] with His Excellency and he has a plan that he wants to implement for AJ as well, which inevitably includes a fight with Tyson Fury.”
A line of heavyweights will be lining up to welcome Joshua back to the ring as he nears his 2026 meeting with Fury.
Makhmudov, whose popularity among British fans is high after his performances in Sheffield against Allen, is pushing demanding to thwart Joshua’s plans.