Bakole or Wilder? Hearn denies Joshua has agreed next fight

Eddie Hearn has denied Anthony Joshua has agreed his adjacent fight, saying the heavyweight is yet to statesman talks with immoderate opponent.

Speculation connected societal media had suggested Joshua could combat Martin Bakole oregon Deontay Wilder next.

With Joshua, 35, coming disconnected a knockout nonaccomplishment to IBF champion Daniel Dubois successful an all-British clash, Matchroom promoter Hearn says nary factual plans are successful place.

"If you look astatine Twitter [X], he's signed and agreed to combat Martin Bakole. Today it's each signed for Wilder against Joshua connected June 7th. [But with] some of those fights determination hasn't been 1 treatment yet," Hearn said connected the 5 Live Boxing with Steve Bunce podcast.

Congolese heavyweight Bakole has talked up a combat with Joshua successful caller weeks, adjacent suggesting helium wounded the two-time heavyweight satellite champion successful a sparring session.

But Hearn, who has promoted Joshua for the entirety of his nonrecreational career, laughed disconnected the story, saying helium has ne'er witnessed Bakole "rock" Joshua successful sparring.

"I deliberation Martin Bakole is simply a precise bully fighter, but don't get carried distant that this is the caller George Foreman," Hearn said.

"The occupation with Bakole is, helium is simply a handful, but helium doesn't truly bring the dollars for the fight."

Joshua's instrumentality to the acme of the heavyweight country was halted by Dubois astatine Wembley past September arsenic helium suffered the 4th decision of his vocation and 2nd via stoppage.

He was expected to combat Dubois again, but opted retired of talks for a rematch and Dubois volition look Joseph Parker connected 22 February instead.

Before Tyson Fury's daze retirement announcement past month, anticipation had been gathering the Gypsy King mightiness look Joshua.

But portion that combat seems improbable again, Hearn says Fury remains astatine the apical of Joshua's wishlist.

"It's ever been the 2 – Tyson Fury – who is retired astatine the moment, we'll spot however agelong that lasts, and the victor of Dubois-Parker," Hearn said of Joshua's perfect adjacent opponent.

Joshua has past with some Dubois and Parker having stripped Parker of his WBO rubric successful their 2018 unification fight.

Hearn is not assured Dubois volition clasp his IBF title, with Parker connected a five-fight winning streak, including wins implicit Wilder and Zhilei Zhang.

"The archetypal four, 5 rounds of that combat volition beryllium truthful important," Hearn said of Dubois-Parker.

"If Parker tin get done those rounds, you've got to enactment question marks backmost successful Dubois' caput due to the fact that close present I deliberation helium thinks he's invincible.

"He's buying into the hype. Which mightiness beryllium bully for him. Dubois is simply a handful.

"I deliberation he's beatable and I deliberation Parker is the feline to bash it. Right now, a assured Daniel Dubois is simply a unsafe man."