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By Peter Akimbo.
Anthony Joshua‘s promoter, Eddie Hearn, has made it clear how important his next fight in April really is, adding that another loss could signal the end of the British-Nigerian’s career.
Joshua was last in the ring in August 2022, when he suffered a second straight defeat to Oleksandr Usyk that put him down the heavyweight ladder, and facing a tough task climbing back to the top.
Out of the title picture for the first time in eight years, the former unified champion is readying his return.
“This is the moment where we’ve got to get everything right for him to become a three-time heavyweight champion. It’s not even a delay for an opponent, but the reason that we’re here is he’s just selected his trainer, and we wanted to go through the opponents with the trainer,” Hearn told IFL TV.
“The trainer will ultimately make the decisions as to who is the right fight for Joshua to develop under him, and to gear himself up for Whyte, for Wilder, for Fury, for all them guys.”
With his new trainer set to be announced, a full camp in the US and an opponent to be carefully selected, Hearn sees this as make-or-break time for Joshua.
“I’m excited; I’m really excited. This is the most excited I’ve been in an Anthony Joshua journey so far because I think it’s exciting. You go into that fight in April, and you know that defeat, it’s all over, really. It would be a third back-to-back defeat.
“And yet, a great performance and a showreel knockout, gets everybody saying, ‘We’re back, baby.’ That’s what I can’t wait for because I love it when our back’s are against the wall. You have to understand that.”
The promoter has slated his fighter for April 1, July and December, the summer being a Dillian Whyte rematch and in the winter, they hope for a clash with Tyson Fury or Deontay Wilder.
