Izuchukwu OkosiFormer heavyweight champion, Anthony Joshua is on a mission to salvage his reputation in boxing after the recent devastating defeat to Oleksandr Usyk.
The last time the Anglo-Nigerian fought was in August 2022 when he lost to the Ukrainian who also defeated him previously in September 2021.
Now, the next opponent for the Briton who was born in Watford, England to Nigerian parents, will be known next week.
Top boxing promoter Eddie Hearn has revealed that he is close to finalising the contracts for AJ’s April 1 (2023) comeback.
Joshua’s last victory in the ropes was over two years ago when he took down Kubrat Pulev.
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According to Hearn, Joshua’s next opponent will be announced next week.
Desirous to see the boxer whose parents are originally from Shagamu in Ogun state, South western Nigeria bounce back, Hearn is fervently reaching out to those that matter in a bid to secure an opponent for the fight.
Ultimately, the big plans is to fight Tyson Fury.
There had been talk of a brutal battle against Filip Hrgovic, but he has been ordered to face Andy Ruiz Jr in an IBF eliminator.
Meanwhile, Hearn has also effectively ruled out Otto Wallin and Demsey McKean after revealing AJ does not want to take on another southpaw.
That could leave Jermaine Franklin as the man to fight Joshua on April Fool’s Day, with the American looking to avenge November’s London defeat to Dillian Whyte.
But fans won’t have to wait too long to find out, as Hearn is currently finalising contracts with a plan to confirm the bout next week.
He told Boxing Social: “[Franklin] is definitely in the mix. Demsey McKean is still in the mix.
“The link-up with a new trainer means a southpaw fighter, even though AJ just boxed one of them twice, is not ideal.
“When you look at the future for Anthony Joshua, the future revolves around Tyson Fury, Deontay Wilder and Dillian Whyte.
“They’re three orthodox fighters. It is likely that he will face an orthodox fighter next.
“I think Jermaine Franklin is a great fighter. People say ‘it’s definitely Franklin’. Nothing is signed and agreed with.
“But Franklin is coming off a fight where it was very close with Whyte. Some people felt he won that fight.”
There had been talk of a brutal battle against Filip Hrgovic, but he has been ordered to face Andy Ruiz Jr in an IBF eliminator.
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
In October 2004, Okosi joined Complete Communications Limited, publishers of Complete Sports newspaper and Complete Football magazine as a reporter and later script writer for the Complete Sports studio.
He worked there for 13 years until October 2017.
Okosi also worked various times as Correspondent, Content creator and Editor at Sports Market International Magazine, Opera News, All Nigeria Soccer Media and Iconic Media Watch.
He also undertook freelance writing gigs for some local and international organizations.
Okosi is a member of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Association of Movie Producers (AMP), Association of Voiceover Artistes of Nigeria (AVOA), Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) and Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).
He has been part of cast in some Nollywood movies and radio dramas including Blood Money 2, Scores To Settle, Dead End 2, Another Campus Tale and Battle Line.
Aside mainstream media and the entertainment industry, he has interests in scouting/unearthing of talents in the sports and creative sectors, exports business and property development.
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