Tyson Fury, Deontay Wilder or Dillian Whyte? – Anthony Joshua’s next move

Anthony Joshua managed to put retirement talk on the backburner with a points win over Jermaine Franklin on Saturday.

While the former two-time world heavyweight champion was far from vintage at the O2 Arena, his victory has opened the door for lucrative future bouts.

Here, the PA news agency looks at what next for Joshua after his first triumph in two-and-a-half years.

Battle of Britain back on?

Tyson Fury was the name on everyone’s lips before Joshua’s triumph over Franklin and it only ramped up after the Watford-born fighter tasted victory again. Joshua admitted that clash is the one “the boxing world needs” and insisted it would be the ‘Gypsy King’ above anyone else if it was his choice. Many pundits debated on Saturday night whether Joshua could do with another tune-up fight before he attempts to face the WBC champion but time is running out for the best British heavyweights of this era to do battle.

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. 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 told the PA news agency 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.