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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
Sport
Charlie Wilson

What Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk means for Anthony Joshua and his next fight

Anthony Joshua is about to take the deal of a lifetime.

If reports are accurate, then he'll step aside of his rematch fight with Oleksandr Usyk, in order for the Ukrainian to face Tyson Fury in a unification bout for the heavyweight titles.

Joshua has been locked in for a rematch with Usyk, who he lost his three heavyweight belts to in September, while Fury has been mandated to defend his WBC heavyweight title against Dillian Whyte.

However, an agreement with Whyte regarding purse split has yet to be agreed and purse bids have been delayed once more - now set to take place on Wednesday.

And Whyte may be forced to wait even longer, with the Telegraph reporting that Joshua will accept a step aside offer of £15m.

This, meaning Usyk and Fury could fight in March, with the Principality Stadium in Cardiff reportedly booked for March 26.

And while it's unclear what this will be for, with reports that Fury could fight Usyk in Saudi Arabia, one thing is for certain...

Anthony Joshua is without an opponent.

So, who could he fight next? Here's a few potential names to look out for.

Deontay Wilder

Could we now finally see these two step in the ring against one another?

The two had gone back and forth for years, with a fight never being agreed.

Joshua will be hoping to win his next fight, before potentially fighting the winner of Fury and Usyk.

Coming up against the biggest knockout artist of this generation may not be a smart business move, but one which would earn his respect back amongst boxing purists.

Dillian Whyte

It's seems like a lifetime ago since these two first fought, but a rematch with Dillian Whyte makes a lot of sense.

Whyte has earned his shot at Fury, and will eventually get his chance at the belts.

But an all-British heavyweight match-up would be a tough fight for both, with the winner deserving the chance to face either Fury or Usyk in the summer.

Robert Helenius

An underrated fighter who is seemingly close to getting his shot, Robert Helenius has been a name flying around as an opponent for Fury.

The Swedish fighter comfortably defeated up-and-coming heavyweight Adam Kownacki twice, and his now earned his shot at a big fight.

A match with Joshua is one that makes sense for both parties - while Joshua would be expected to win, Helenius would elevate his status with a strong performance on the big stage.

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