What comes next for Anthony Joshua?

Coral’s David Stevens said: “Anthony Joshua wasn’t overly impressive in his defeat of big underdog Jermaine Franklin, and Tyson Fury remains a clear favourite to triumph should the pair finally get it together in the ring.”

Haven’t we been here before…

You would be forgiven for feeling a sense of deja vu given this chat has happened plenty of times in the past. When Joshua beat Kubrat Pulev in the winter of 2020, a unification clash with Fury dominated the next few months before an arbitration ordered the Lancashire fighter to take on Deontay Wilder for a third time.

This is a message to @anthonyjoshua.

My promoter Frank Warren convinced me to let Queensberry carry on negotiating with your team this week, despite me knowing that you were never going to do this fight… pic.twitter.com/XpcHOpZJzk

— TYSON FURY (@Tyson_Fury) September 29, 2022

The teams of Joshua and Fury were also in discussions last year but it eventually collapsed in October and the latter fought Derek Chisora instead. Talks will again take place and Fury does need a fight given Oleksandr Usyk pulled out last month but we could easily see boxing shoot itself in the foot again.

‘Unfinished business’ in America

If Joshua against Fury cannot be arranged, the former Olympian could eye a bout in his new home across the Atlantic. Joshua is now based in Dallas at Derrick James’ World Class Boxing Gym and plans to return there in a fortnight.

Eddie Hearn said last week that Joshua has “unfinished business” in America given his only clash there ended in a shock loss to Andy Ruiz Jr at Madison Square Garden in 2019. Wilder is arguably the only opponent that would draw enough interest for Joshua to box in the United States and the pair have been close to fighting each other before.

Whyte II

If Fury falls through and Joshua prefers to box again closer to home, a rematch with old rival Dillian Whyte would make sense. It could be another sell-out at the O2 like their previous clash eight years ago and like in 2015, would be a step towards Joshua attempting to win a world title.

Whyte attended Saturday’s clash with Franklin, who he also beat on points in November, but while he did not step into the ring to go face-to-face with his fellow Briton, he did express his desire to inflict “revenge” on Joshua for his knockout victory last time.

It would probably be the easiest fight to make and Whyte would be an easier opponent than Fury, with Joshua the 2/5 favourite to win any rematch while Whyte is 2/1 .