Anthony Joshua dismissive of Otto Wallin and Joe Joyce as replacements for Oleksandr Usyk
It's safe to say that Anthony Joshua has no interest in fighting Otto Wallin or Joe Joyce in his next bout.
'AJ' was set to face Oleksandr Usyk in a rematch of their September 2021 bout. The Brit lost his unified heavyweight crown to the Ukrainian via unanimous decision and activated his rematch clause post-fight. However, the bout has been postponed due to the champion joining the Ukrainian military.
As a result, Joshua has displayed a willingness to fight an interim bout. Dmitry Salita of Sky Sports suggested that the former two-time heavyweight champion fight contenders Otto Wallin or Joe Joyce next. However, 'AJ' isn't a fan of the idea.
Joshua responded on Twitter, pointing out that he beat both men in the amateurs and also stated that nothing would change if they fought now.
Lol ok … I’ve shared this ring with most people you see in the heavyweight division today! I boxed Otto wallin twice as youngsters & I boxed joe and stopped him in 1 round. I’d do the same thing today! Ain’t nothing changed. twitter.com/intuboxing/sta…
Joshua also took some time to respond to a fan who insinuated that the champion might be afraid to fight Joyce.
“ Rolls Eyes “ … you really think I wouldn’t fight @JoeJoyceBoxing ? twitter.com/allan_lunn/sta…
Anthony Joshua names Joseph Parker as a potential opponent
Anthony Joshua's next opponent is yet to be set. He's thrown out a potential name to face in his next bout, and it's someone he's fought before.
'AJ' spoke about his situation in a recent interview with Beyond the Gloves. The two-time heavyweight champion noted that he'll fight anyone next. However, he did throw out a previous foe in Joseph Parker as a potential next fight. He said:
"But listen, I'll fight Joseph Parker. Do you know what it is? My record shows bro, it's a fight at the end of the day, what you want me to do? Like I don't give a f**k. I'll fight whoever, whenever. It's only a fight, you know what I'm tryna say? So yeah I'll fight hundred percent."
Watch Anthony Joshua discuss fighting Joseph Parker next in the video below:
If the two clash again, it would be the first time they have stepped into the ring with one-another since March 2018. Joshua headed in as the WBA (Super), IBF, and IBO Heavyweight Champion, and was looking to capture Parker's WBO crown.
The bout was a stark contrast from the Brit's previous bouts. Rather than displaying his standard aggressive approach, he instead decided to jab his way to victory, which he did. Joshua won the WBO Heavyweight Title via unanimous decision and became the unified champion.