Anthony Joshua is looking for a new opponent after the cancellation of the fight with Dillian Whyte Photo: Reuters/Matthew Childs
British heavyweight Anthony Joshua still has to fight on Saturday night at the 02 Arena, and American Gerald Washington is set to replace Dillian Whyte, who was removed from the card after an «unfavorable analytical opinion» from the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association. p>
Washington, 41, appeared on the shortlist, which also included Derek Chisora and Demsi McKean, and is expected to be announced on Monday pending Joshua's approval. The problem for Joshua is that to risk a relatively unfamiliar opponent so close to the fight, and the British fighter needs to change his training and tactics.
Promoter Eddie Hearn, who returned from a vacation at The Caribbean in an attempt to save Joshua's night at the O2 Arena, is working alongside the boxer's management team.
Two-time heavyweight champion Joshua learned on Saturday that White was not in the All-British match rematch and the 33-year-old has until Monday to make a final decision on an opponent.
It has not yet been made public what substance White has been testing, but promoter Matchroom Boxing has already scheduled a rescheduled week of fights with events taking place from Wednesday to weigh-in on Friday.
It is understood that Washington Coach Malik Scott suggested that the American meet Joshua. Scott is also training Deontay Wilder, a former world champion who Joshua is expected to face in Saudi Arabia in a $60m (£47m) bout.
The O2 event still needs approval and approval from DAZN broadcasters — Joshua was expected to earn over £10 million for the original competition. DAZN Executive Director Joe Markowski does not rule out that the rescheduled event will be canceled or postponed, although it is known that Joshua and his team are determined to continue the fight.
«I sympathize with Eddie, and I sympathize with AJ more than anyone else, but it was the right decision to cancel [White's] event,» Markowski told IFL TV. «We're in talks with Matchroom and we'll see what happens.»
Regarding whether the card remains a pay-per-view event, Markowski added: «It's entirely up to the opponent, the date, it all needs to be discussed — if it happens next weekend, we'll have to wait and see.»
Carl Froch, the former world super middleweight champion, insisted that only Filip Hrgovic of Croatia (who was ranked No. 1 by the International Boxing Federation, who was supposed to fight Australian McKean) would fully satisfy the boxing public as a contender. p>
“AJ needs to fight,” Froch said. “We have Hrgovic-Makkin on the undercard. It could save the show. If Hrgovic can really agree to fight AJ and AJ enjoys the job, it's a great fight. Hrgovic is a very capable fighter and he will be a great test for Anthony Joshua. It's probably a better fight than the Dillian Whyte fight, but I'm not sure AJ would like it.»
David Haye, former world heavyweight champion, revealed in a podcast interview that Chisora told him a few days ago that he was training to be Joshua's replacement.
«Funny, I got a call from Derek Chisora about a week ago told me that's exactly what would happen. I didn’t attach much importance to this, but a week ago he told me that he would fight AJ,” Haye said in an interview with Seconds Out Live.
Chisora, who is now 39 years old and has 46 on his account fights, mentor and friend of Joshua for many years, and a former world title contender whose last fight was a loss to Tyson Fury at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last December, is still a possible opponent this weekend.< /p>
There was also a call from Joshua's old enemy Andy Ruiz Jr. Joshua was defeated and stopped by Ruiz and lost his three championship belts in 2019 and regained them later that year in a points rematch in Saudi Arabia.
“Anthony Joshua, come on trilogy,” Ruiz said. One way or another, Joshua's decision will be made today.
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