Eddie Hearn, promoter for former two-division world champion Anthony Joshua, says the next opponent for the British star will not be finalized until a new training team has been secured.
Last year, Joshua parted ways with longtime trainer Robert McCracken – in the aftermath of a twelve round decision loss to Oleksandr Usyk.
Joshua would eventually hire veteran coach Robert Garcia to prepare him for the rematch with Usyk.
Garcia, who never trained a heavyweight, was unable to change the outcome, with Usyk once again winning a twelve round decision in August.
The partnership with Garcia will not go any further, as Joshua is once again searching for a new trainer.
Hearn would love to match Joshua against former WBC champion Deontay Wilder in the coming year – but that contest is likely not happening next.
“The communication lines are good between me and [Wilder’s co-manager] Shelly [Finkel]. We’ve had a lot of talks, a lot of chats,” Hearn told IFL TV.
“Until the training team is confirmed for AJ, we won’t make any opponent selections because we want the input from the trainer. So again, we’ve got three or four guys that we’re talking to and ready to try and make a move for. We have to make sure the training team is comfortable with that. That’ll be the plan over the next couple of weeks.
“He’s getting ready for his training camp, deciding who he’s going to add, who he’s going to bring in, and getting that ready. Once that’s secure, we’ll then confirm his opponent because we want the training team to be across the opponent selection as well.
“This is a run where we can see him become a three-time heavyweight world champion, but these next steps are very important. I’ve always liked AJ in that fight, but we need to make sure that if we’re fighting someone like Tyson Fury, who is an outstanding fighter, that he’s 100% ready. That’s the plan. To get him in training camp, get the correct team behind him to move him forward to become a three-time heavyweight world champion.”
Credit: BoxingScene