Anthony Joshua wants to fight Dillian Whyte in a heavyweight rematch next year following his defeat by Oleksandr Usyk.
'AJ' suffered a second consecutive loss to Usyk back in August as he failed in his attempt to avenge his defeat last year which saw him lose his unified world titles. Now Joshua faces a significant rebuild as he chases another shot at a world title.
Joshua was offered an immediate shot at Tyson Fury's WBC belt but the fight collapsed after the former two-time champion missed the contract deadline. However Joshua's promoter Eddie Hearn has revealed Joshua is now eyeing a shot at Whyte before setting up a mega-fight with Deontay Wilder later next year.
"Originally the plan was that fight in December if that Tyson Fury fight could get made but now it hasn't and probably January or February is when it gets made," Hearn told the DAZN Boxing Show when assessing Joshua's options for his heavyweight return. "Talking to him the other day he wants to fight Dillian Whyte and his next fight is November 29 so we will see how that plays out. But Dillian Whyte is the front runner if he comes through.
"Otto Wallin has reached out numerous times that is a good fight for him as well, and there is the Wilder situation which is definitely a fight he is looking at not saying that will be in January or February. I don't think he wants to start looking outside of the top ten of the governing bodies, but I do think he wants a real fight and those are all real fights that you could see him in."
Joshua met Whyte in a thrilling clash held back in 2015 in which Joshua prevailed with an explosive stoppage. Despite putting to bed their fiery feud, Joshua and Whyte came together in a chance meeting earlier this year when they agreed to touch gloves again before the end of their respective careers.
Who wins if the pair fight in a rematch - Anthony Joshua or Dillian Whyte? Let us know in the comments section below
Whyte, who lost in his heavyweight title challenge to Tyson Fury back in April, will return against Jermaine Franklin at Wembley Arena on November 29. He believes a win over Joshua could see him thrown into a rematch with the 'Gypsy King' again in the future. "I'm one or two fights away from a title shot again," he told the Daily Mail. "I want to have the biggest fights and fight the best fighters.
"And I want to get a chance eventually at Joshua and eventually against Tyson Fury too. But it would be good to get Joshua because if I beat Joshua then I can fight Fury again. I was nowhere near the best version of myself that night, so if I can beat Joshua I can get the Fury fight again."
