Anthony Joshua believes Tyson Fury's father will play a key factor in their matchup

Anthony Joshua believes that he will one-day fight Tyson Fury, likely at the behest of his father.

'AJ' has been out of action since his split-decision defeat to Oleksandr Usyk last August. The defeat was a brutal one for the former champion, as it was his second straight loss to 'The Cat'.

The consecutive loss also puts the British star in a very strange and unique situation. He's coming off two losses, they were both close, and he's one of the biggest names in the division. While Joshua has lost to Usyk twice, his days as a contender aren't over.

With that in mind, a possible clash with Tyson Fury continues to live in fans' minds. While 'The Gypsy King' has hit back at Joshua over the years and said he would never fight him, the latter doesn't believe him.

The reason why Anthony Joshua doesn't believe those comments is mostly thanks to John Fury. A former boxer himself, he's currently the colourful trainer of the WBC Heavyweight Champion and his brothers.

In a recent interview with IFL TV, the former titleholder stated:

“In my heart, no [it’s not over]. But if you listen to what [Tyson Fury] says, it’s up and down. But I’m sure he’ll fight me. I don’t think his dad will let him not fight me. His dad’s a proper guy, I like his dad. So yeah."

Watch his comments in the video below (6:20):

Who will Anthony Joshua fight next?

While there's a lot of uncertainty in the heavyweight division, Anthony Joshua's future is quite clear.

Earlier this month, reports broke that Jermaine Franklin will likely face 'AJ' on April 1. '989 Assassin' is coming off a controversial decision defeat to Dillian Whyte last year. While many felt Franklin deserved the win, 'The Body Snatcher' instead got the nod on the scorecards.

His consolation prize is the biggest fight of his career against the former two-time champion. Interestingly enough, if Joshua is able to dispatch Franklin, his next fight is already known. The fight will be a rematch with Dillian Whyte.

An absolute slugfest for the British heavyweight title 🇬🇧

Anthony Joshua and Dillian Whyte went toe-to-toe on this day in 2015 😤 https://t.co/hKI5ul3L9K

The pair previously fought in December 2015, with each man having a lot of early success. However, it was Joshua who won the war of attrition as he knocked out Whyte in the seventh round.

Lastly, if all goes well, Anthony Joshua and Eddie Hearn are hopeful he'll fight Tyson Fury or Deontay Wilder in December. Granted, 'The Gypsy King' has business with Oleksandr Usyk later this year.

📋 Eddie Hearn has revealed Anthony Joshua's three-fight plan for 2023:

📆 April - Return vs Top 15 Opponent
📆 Summer - Likely Dillian Whyte II
📆 Autumn - Tyson Fury/Deontay Wilder

🗣️ Hearn said: "I truly believe Wilder/Fury is nailed on for 2023." [@DAZNBoxing Show]