ANTHONY JOSHUA’S emphatic rise to stardom continued on Saturday night when he stopped bitter rival Dillian Whyte in the seventh round with a chilling uppercut.
The fight sold out the O2 Arena and headlined a pay-per-view show – the 2012 Olympic champion is big business.
His win over Whyte answered some questions – he can take a shot and rally back – but also left others begging. He is now deemed beyond domestic level but doesn’t seem ready to step on to the world stage – so who should he fight next?
A fight with Tyson Fury is inevitable in the future though could not happen next given Fury’s obligation to face Wladimir Klitschko in a rematch.
He is set to box again on April 9 at the same arena, so we’ve listed five men we think would make a good match. Let us know what you think in the Comments section.
5. Malik Scott
The American threw his name into the hat while in London as a part of Whyte’s team, even approaching Joshua after the fight was over.
The American has suffered stoppage defeats to Deontay Wilder and Dereck Chisora – both in strange circumstances – but a recent win over Tony Thompson has made Scott somewhat of a gatekeeper for fighters looking to crack the world scene.
Scott is a decent heavyweight with sound skills although his propensity to be gun-shy could make him an easy target for Joshua.
4. Joseph Parker
While Joshua has made headlines, Parker has also been racking up knockout wins. Currently 17-0 (15), the New Zealand fighter is also considered one of the heavyweight divison’s top prospects.
A tall, heavy-handed slugger, Parker is yet to face a ‘live’ opponent but has looked convincing so far.
However, it may be deemed too early to pair these two with each other, if they do indeed continue to cut a swathe through the rankings.
3. Mariusz Wach
The Pole has been linked to Joshua before and so far has only lost to Wladimir Klitschko and Alexander Povetkin – Klitschko outpointed him and Povetkin stopped him in the 12th.
‘The Viking’ may be getting on a bit at 36 but he is bound to give Joshua the rounds he so desperately needs. Indeed, if Joshua were to finish things earlier than Klitschko and Povetkin managed, his stock would rise considerably.
2. David Haye
Haye was at the O2 to witness Joshua flatten Whyte and looked giddy after the fight finished. Set to face Mark De Mori next month in his comeback fight, Haye has already stated his intention of facing Joshua in the near future.
Haye would no doubt have picked up on the weaknesses Joshua displayed against Whyte – for example his vulnerability to the body – and may want to get in there with him sooner rather than later. However Joshua’s handlers are unlikely to feel the same.
1. Dereck Chisora
‘Del Boy’ picked up a routine win on the Joshua-Whyte undercard and intends to keep busy. Having recently signed with the Sauerlands, a lucrative agreement to meet Joshua could be easily met.
Not dissimilar to Whyte in terms of fighting style, Chisora has mixed it at world level having lost to Vitali Klitschko and Haye. He’s a durable and dangerous fighter when on his game and it would also make for a lively build up.
Both are also from North London, adding further interest.
