Joshua may cancel December fight over boxing tourney

Anthony Joshua’s fight delay could be due to talks over a four-man heavyweight tournament with Tyson Fury, Deontay Wilder and Oleksandr Usyk.

The British star returned after back-to-back defeats by Usyk when he outpointed Jermaine Franklin in London to return to winning ways. It was expected Joshua would continue a rebuild of his heavyweight career this summer, after urging fans to remain patient with him as he continues to step up the levels of opponent again.

A second meeting against Dillian Whyte touted for the summer given their respective victories over Franklin. However ‘AJ’ stunned the world by announcing on social media that his next fight would be delayed until December.

But radio host Jordan has a new theory that Joshua could be set to announce a huge fight with Wilder, while Fury faces Andy Ruiz Jr before going on to take on Usyk. He said on the talkBOXING show:

“There’s a lingering observation and, I suppose rumour, that’s seeded I think in some substance – that there is a series of fights being arranged in the Middle East that involve Fury, Usyk, Joshua and Wilder.

“Three fights being made which are Fury vs Usyk, Wilder vs Joshua and the two winners of those fights meeting again in the Middle East for the ultimate showdown. That would align with the dynamic of the reasons why Anthony Joshua isn’t fighting until December. The second part of this equation that I’m understanding is potentially in the offing is that Fury needs to fight.”

He added: “He won’t have fought since December, he can’t be out for a year. He will [fight in the summer]. What I’m led to believe is he will get out against Andy Ruiz.

“When you see that make-up, if it were to be that way, money talks. And if the Middle Eastern guys are really doing this, then they will throw the money at it and the fights will happen.”