Anthony Joshua needs an opponent for his next fight to properly prepare for his fight with Tyson Fury.
This was confirmed by promoter Eddie Hearn Talks are ongoing about the long-awaited fight with Furyand Joshua is set to have a warm-up fight in July, which will be his first return to the ring since his involvement in in December, a tragic car accident killed two of his friends.
Joshua previously defeated Jake Paul after losing to Daniel Dubois by knockout. Fury’s comeback from retirement to overtake Arslanbek Makhmudov and his subsequent call on Joshua made the dream clash with the British heavyweight once again a reality.
But first, a warm-up fight. Against whom? Hearn said Joshua would fight someone of a “similar level” to defeated opponent Fury Makhmudov. Here are some names that might fit the bill…
Justi Huni
Australian challenger Justis Huni (13-1, 7 KO) defeated Frazer Clarke by majority decision in the Fury vs. match over the weekend. Makhmudov, thus setting the best result of his career so far. Huni’s ceiling of possibilities has yet to be discovered.
Last year, he outplayed and outscored Fabio Wardley for nine rounds until he was the victim of a knockout from behind, his only loss to date.
Huni’s next step after defeating Clarke will likely be to target a world-class opponent with an even higher profile. However, if he doesn’t achieve a gigantic victory himself or finish high in the rankings, he may become an option that will determine Joshua’s return to the ring.
Seven years ago, then aged 20, Huni traveled to Sheffield to train with Joshua. Meeting him in the ring would be a full circle moment.
Cassius Chaney
6-foot-6 American heavyweight (24-4, 17 KO) Cassius Chaney was on the shortlist to fight Joshua before the former champion ultimately decided to face Paul in delayed 2025.
“It sucks to miss a great opportunity but there’s nothing wrong with it, that’s business,” Chaney told Sky Sports. “I’m glad I’m knocking on the door. Everything is finally working out.”
Interestingly, Chaney then worked with Paul in the build-up to the fight with Joshua as a sparring partner. He is the same height as the Briton, and the former YouTuber-turned-boxer has used his level of physicality in his preparation.
Before Paul’s fight camp and his dealings with Joshua, Chaney fought relatively unnoticed. At 38 years elderly, fighting Joshua would be a gigantic deal and a great way to potentially end his career.
Chaney last fought in January when he was defeated by Alexander Flores by seventh-round stoppage. He could be a safe and sound, low-risk fight for Joshua as he works to get back to the levels required for the Fury.
Guido Vianello
Nicknamed “Gladiator”, the 31-year-old Italian (14-3-1, 12 KO) challenged Joshua several times, even proposing the Roman Colosseum as the venue for any fight.
“Now I want to have a gigantic name,” he said last year. “You want to know what gigantic name I want? Anthony Joshua. I want Anthony Joshua. I want him in front of me. Let’s fight in Rome, the Colosseum, London – whatever you want. But give me the gigantic name, please. I don’t have extra time, I want to win now.”
Vianello’s stock rose in 2024 and 2025 when he defeated Arslanbek Makhmudov by stoppage and brutally knocked out undefeated Alexis Barriere.
The dismantling of Barriere was impressive from Vianello, who imposed his size and strength on the fight after taking several counterattacks in the earlier rounds.
It was a timely reminder of what Vianello could do. Defeats to Efe Ajagba and Richard Torrez Jr. caused his reputation to suffer, but may result in him being considered a rival to Joshua.
Murat Gasijew
The Russian, currently the holder of the “regular” WBA heavyweight belt, would be an compelling test for Joshua despite losing two inches of height and six inches of reach. Murat Gassiev (33-2, 26 KO) is stylistically a mini-heavyweight who focuses on crushing strength and endurance, not elite footwork.
He is a former unified cruiserweight champion who lost an undisputed title fight to Oleksandr Usyk. It seeks to work the body while providing powerful power when required. Gassijew’s last appearance came in December, when he knocked out Kubrat Pulev, also a former opponent of Joshua.
A furious left hook was too much for the aging Pulev, but Joshua would be a much sterner test of Gassiev’s greatness at heavyweight. Gassiev, 34, also said he was preparing for a summer fight and even invoked the name of British sensation Moses Itauma.
“I’m just training,” he said. “We have a plan to fight in the middle of summer, like in July, and we are working on it now.”
Dillian Whyte
A rematch with Dillian Whyte has long been planned for Joshua and has already failed once.
Whyte and Joshua were fierce rivals early in their careers and clashed in an incensed clash, which Joshua won by knockout before becoming world champion. A rematch was planned three years ago but was canceled when Whyte presented unfavorable drug test results.
Perhaps now that Joshua is looking for a rival to strengthen, Whyte’s idea will be presented to him again.
Whyte has not appeared in the ring and has no next fight scheduled after being knocked down in a round by Moses Itauma last August. He has only fought three times in the last three years and he is currently 38 years elderly.
His threat level could be seen as an all-time low, and a rematch with Joshua ties into the bad blood storyline from their youth.
Whyte told Sky Sports: “I would love it, but no one has mentioned it to me and I don’t know anything about it. And AJ probably most likely wants to fight Deontay Wilder right now.”
Deontay Wilder
Deontay Wilder (45-4-1, 43 KO) was once Joshua’s dream opponent. It was a clash of two powerful knockouts from both sides of the Atlantic, who both held heavyweight titles. But the Wilder vs. Joshua, like Fury vs. Joshua, also never happened, even though it seemed close in 2018. Now? This was mentioned in very different circumstances.
Wilder lost four of six fights before he overtook Derek Chisora in a bruising contest in London earlier this month. Now the 40-year-old former WBC champion, once considered one of the greatest boxers in boxing history, can fight his last fight against the elite of his division.
Flame in the Wilder vs. fight Joshua caught fire again when the Briton appeared in the ring during the American’s fight with Chisora. Wilder walked past Joshua before the fight, avoiding eye contact, creating an icy, awkward moment that sparked novel intrigue in this forgotten fight.
Wilder then punched Joshua and muttered “let’s do it”, before being overheard claiming his rival was “scared”.
Wilder opened the door to a fight with Joshua, saying: “It wasn’t just a few words, I discussed it with him and said, ‘Now let’s get down to business.’ I’m ready for anyone, as long as these guys are heavyweight, I’m here.”
Joshua’s promoter Hearn cheekily suggested Wilder – once his biggest rival – as his warm-up opponent this summer.
“We have made it clear that we are ready to fight Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury back-to-back,” Hearn said. “I’m not being disrespectful that Wilder is a warm-up fight.”
