Anthony Joshua's next opponent named by boxing's most powerful man after Tyson Fury's retirement
01/16/2025 11:39 AM
Whether Tyson Fury is truly retired or not, Turki Alalshikh is keen to make a fight for Anthony Joshua.
‘The Gypsy King’ announced his retirement earlier this month, and many fight fans called it a negotiation tactic for a rumored showdown with Anthony Joshua. Riyadh Season figurehead Turki Alalshikh had Fury-Joshua on his list of fights to see in 2025 and expectations were high.
Now, with the ‘retirement’ news, Alalshikh is keeping things moving and has named another dangerous opponent for ‘AJ’.
Turki Alalshikh wants Deontay Wilder vs. Anthony Joshua
Speaking to TalkSport, Alalshikh revealed intentions to make Anthony Joshua vs. Deontay Wilder a reality.
“I want to see Joshua and Wilder now,” Alalshikh said. “If Tyson is not available, why not Joshua and Wilder?
Joshua vs Wilder was one of the biggest fights of Joshua’s prime. Negotiation issues plagued this matchup when both men were undefeated, and now they are both coming off devastating knockout losses. It’s bittersweet, but the allure is still there.
Anthony Joshua vs. Martin Bakole is also an option
While both the Wilder-Joshua and Fury-Joshua fights are years overdue, the heavyweight division has some fresh faces that are up for the challenge. Not only is Agit Kabayel fighting Zhilei Zhang on February 22, but hard-hitting titan Martin Bakole is on the cusp of greatness.
‘AJ’ squared off with Bakole at the Ring Awards, and the fight would certainly make sense from a matchmaking perspective, especially if Wilder stays inactive.
