December 24th 2023.
Joshua's long-awaited showdown with Deontay Wilder is on hold for now, as Eddie Hearn confirmed that his next fight will be against Filip Hrgovic.
Joshua and Wilder both fought on the same 'Day of Reckoning' card in Saudi Arabia, with plans for them to face off again in 2021 if both emerged unscathed. Joshua made quick work of Otto Wallin, but Wilder's fight with Joseph Parker didn't go as planned, as Parker beat Wilder on a wide points decision.
That result means that the Wilder fight is off the table, at least for now. However, Joshua has another option ahead of him in Hrgovic. The Croatian is the mandatory challenger for the IBF title, currently held by Oleksandr Usyk, who also holds the WBA and WBO belts. Usyk and Tyson Fury are set to fight for the division's first undisputed champion since Lennox Lewis.
If that fight goes ahead, the IBF have made it clear that the winner must fight their mandatory challenger in Hrgovic next, with the sanctioning body likely to strip February's winner of the belt if they exercise the two-way rematch clause.
Hearn confirmed the plans for Joshua and Hrgovic on Saturday night, saying: "It was a tough decision between the championship and Deontay Wilder. Maybe it is a blessing because this guy is about championships. He wants to become a three-time heavyweight world champion. It will be Filip Hrgovic against AJ for the world title. Let's see him become a three-time champion."
Joshua is clearly determined to become a three-time heavyweight champion, and it looks like his next fight will be the first step in that journey. We can only wait and see if he'll get the chance to face Wilder in the future.
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