What next for beaten Anthony Joshua? – Sporting Life
Anthony Joshua’s professional boxing career is in limbo after losing his heavyweight title rematch to Oleksandr Usyk.
The Nigerian-born British boxer was beaten by split decision in Saudi Arabia on Saturday night to leave his record at 24-3. With Usyk eyeing an undisputed title fight with Tyson Fury, Joshua’s chances of a trilogy fight seem slim right now and he has to look elsewhere for his next potential opponent.
With that in mind, here are six options Joshua now has following his loss to Usyk, including retirement and a fight against former champion Deontay Wilder.
Although Joshua erupted into rambling and bizarre rants after his loss on Saturday, he was unable to announce his retirement from boxing.
However, having now lost three times as a pro, it remains possible that his second loss to Usyk could prove to be the last fight of his career.
Joshua has fought 27 times over the past nine years and turned pro in 2013, a year after winning Olympic gold. His three losses are also in his last five fights.
The Bronze Bomber has not been in the ring since completing his trilogy with Fury, which ended with Wilder being eliminated in the 11th round.
Wilder will return against Robert Helenius in Brooklyn in October, potentially leaving the door open to meeting Joshua next summer.
However, the American is also understood to have an “initial denial” for a WBC heavyweight title fight if Fury decides not to come out of retirement.
Much like Joshua, Dillian Whyte is currently coming off a loss in a world title fight after losing to Fury by technical knockout in the sixth round in April.
He and Joshua have fought before, meeting at the O2 Arena in December 2015 for the British and Commonwealth titles.
On that occasion, Joshua won via a seventh-round TKO before Whyte went on a stunning 11-fight win streak before losing to Alexander Povetkin in 2020.
A rematch would give Whyte a chance to avenge the first professional loss of his career, an opportunity he has already capitalized on by defeating Povetkin in their rematch.
Derek Chisora is also a potential British opponent for Joshua, although a fight with Fury has been teased in recent weeks.
The Gypsy King has been vocal on social media in his attempts to secure a comeback fight against Chisora and has even claimed the 38-year-old demanded £3million to fight him.
After beating Kubrat Pulev last month, Chisora remains on his way to the top of the heavyweight division, as does Joshua despite his back-to-back losses. Joshua also remains one of the few elite heavyweights that Chisora has not faced in his career.
Though it’s a long road to go, Joshua still has open business with Jarrell Miller after their previously scheduled fight in 2019 was canceled after Miller failed a drug test.
Miller was replaced in the fight by Andy Ruiz Jr. with just a month’s notice, with Joshua succumbing to a shock defeat at Madison Square Garden.
Since his canceled bout against Joshua, Miller has only fought twice and returned for two fights a month apart earlier this year but remains undefeated as a pro at 24-0-1.
British boxing fans have long called for a superfight between Fury and Joshua, with the pair winning both titles in recent years.
The match-up seemed unlikely following Fury’s retirement in April, but he has since teased the possibility of returning to the ring.
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During Saturday’s fight, Fury even claimed he would beat both Joshua and Usyk on the same night if given the chance. Joshua could get a chance to reclaim his titles in the future if Fury fights and beats Usyk in the near future.