Joshua's Next Opponent – Who Is He?

Former British heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua (28-3, 25 KOs) announced that he is close to finalizing his next fight. "I’ve almost finished negotiations for my next fight! Feeling motivated," Joshua wrote on his Instagram page.

Recently, Matchroom Boxing CEO Eddie Hearn revealed that a press conference will be held on June 26, together with the head of Saudi Arabia's General Entertainment Authority, Turki Alalshikh, to announce Joshua's next opponent. The likely date for the fight is September 21, and the possible opponent is the interim IBF champion Daniel Dubois (21-2, 20 KOs).

"The press conference will take place on June 26, and Turki will be there. Dubois is the favorite, especially if the fight is for the IBF title. It’s a huge fight – two Brits, a world title, 'Wembley'. A dangerous fight for both, they are in good form. Joshua has a four-win streak after losing to Usyk. Dubois has a streak of two fights. So yes, there are a few options, but if the IBF title is on the line, then Dubois is the likely opponent," Hearn said on the Boxing with Chris Mannix podcast.

However, the International Boxing Federation (IBF) reported that they have not received a request to sanction this fight.

Another contender for Joshua could be Zhang Zhilei (27-2-1, 22 KOs), who confidently defeated Deontay Wilder (43-4-1, 42 KOs) on the same card as Dubois. But earlier this month, Zhang's team had not been contacted about a potential fight with AJ.

During discussions about Joshua's next fight, his former opponent, New Zealand's interim WBO champion Joseph Parker (35-3, 23 KOs), expressed his desire for a rematch with the Briton.

"There are a lot of people who want to fight Anthony Joshua. I feel that after what I’ve done, I’m in a position to fight him. Honestly, it’s not about what I want or what he wants. It’s about what everyone else wants, and a lot of fights are happening in Saudi Arabia," Parker told Sky Sports.

Parker also mentioned that Eddie Hearn had talked about a possible rematch, but the likely opponent still seems to be Daniel Dubois.

"I know Eddie Hearn talked about our potential fight with Joshua, but there have been no discussions. I would love to get the opportunity to fight Anthony. I know other fighters also want that opportunity.

Joshua is still a big name, he has had some great wins. In the fights with Francis Ngannou and Otto Wallin, Joshua looked very good. He seemed like a different fighter in those fights. So I’m sure everyone wants to fight him. But there haven’t been any discussions with our team. It looks like the most likely opponent for him is Daniel Dubois," Parker told the YouTube channel Seconds Out.