THE retirement of Tyson Fury may have dented Anthony Joshua’s plans for 2025 but there could be a plan B.
Fury made his announcement on Instagram a few days ago taking his number of retirements up to four. Whether the former unified heavyweight champion is finally hanging up the gloves for good or not remains to be seen. Turki Alalshikh, however, sees an alternative for Joshua’s future in a former opponent of Fury’s.
Speaking earlier today (January 16) on Talksport, he said: “I want to see Joshua and Wilder now if Tyson is not available. Why not Joshua and Wilder?”
Joshua v Wilder just like Fury v Joshua are two of the biggest disappointments in the heavyweight division’s recent history for not taking place. We have been treated to years of speculation, quotes, social media posts, videos and interviews but neither fight ever happened.
Pitting Joshua, 28-4 (25 KOs), against Wilder, 43-4-1 (42 KOs), may now struggle to fall under the ‘Better Late Than Never’ category because of recent performances. Last year Joshua was knocked out in five rounds by a rampaging Daniel Dubois while Wilder looked a spent force against Zhilei Zhang who stopped ‘The Bronze Bomber’ also in round five.
One man who definitely does want a piece of ‘AJ’ is the Scottish-based Congolese heavyweight Martin Bakole. The 33-year-old will next fight in an IBF title eliminator against Nigerian Efe Ajagba but Bakole then wants Joshua and used X to post an irate video taking shots at the British heavyweight, who has Nigerian roots, for wanting Ajagba to triumph against him.
“We finished the deal with Bakole and Ajagba because it is IBF mandatory,” Alalshikh said.
“Then after that we are open to seeing Joshua against Bakole. I want to see this fight. Do you know where I want to see it? I want to see it in Africa.”
