Anthony Joshua is lining up a bout with Dillian Whyte in a heavyweight rematch in early 2023, with a blockbuster against Deontay Wilder to follow later in the year, according to promoter Eddie Hearn.
Nigerian-Briton Joshua suffered a second consecutive defeat to Oleksandr Usyk in August and he is planning to rebuild his career.
The 32-year-old was close to an immediate chance to battle Tyson Fury for the World Boxing Council heavyweight title in December but the proposed fight is not happening after the former two-time IBF, WBA and WBO champion missed the contract deadline.
However Joshua’s promoter Hearn has revealed that his man is eyeing a shot at Whyte before setting up a big 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 about 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 fought Whyte back in 2015 and the Nigerian won with a knockout.
Whyte, who lost in his heavyweight title challenge to Tyson Fury back in April, will return against Jermaine Franklin at Wembley Arena in London on November 29.
The 34-year-old Briton believes a win over Joshua could earn him a rematch with Fury 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.”
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