If Anthony Joshua returns, he should have to defeat one of the top contenders such as Martin Bakool or Tyson Fury to get another title shot against IBF heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois.

No more free passes

Journeyman Dillian Whyte and retired former WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder are two names considered to be Joshua (28-4, 25 KOs) next The most likely player of the tournament if “Gypsy King” Fury can’t be lured out of retirement By Turki Shaikh.

The idea is that Joshua will use the 36-year-old Whyte or Wilder to rebuild his confidence and standing in boxing before facing Dubois in a rematch this year. However, both fighters are no longer associated with the division today, and haven’t been for many years.

What Joshua needs is to beat one of these heavyweights to win a title like a regular boxer:

——Martin Bakole
——Ajit Kabayel
– Zhilei Zhang
——Joseph Parker
——Moses Itama

After AJ lost to Dubois in the fifth round knockout in London on September 21 last year, his credibility was gone and he needed to prove that he was a worthy contender for the world championship. This is what the average boxer does, and it’s unfair that Joshua gets a chance at a world title shot after beating a washed-up Wilder or Whyte.

Meritocracy trumps star power

“The position Anthony Joshua is in right now puts him in the next six fights with Dillian Whyte and Deontay Wilder. If he wins those two fights then if he wants a rematch it’s Give him a fight with (IBF heavyweight champion) Daniel Dubois or Tyson Fury,” Gareth A. Davies said. talk sports boxing About Anthony Joshua.

“Tyson Fury would make sense if he were to box again, but Daniel Dubois absolutely is. He’s the belt holder now and he’s heading in that direction (upward), whereas Joshua is Head this way (downhill),” Adam Catterall said. “He (AJ) has to win to earn the right to fight.

“There has to be a meritocracy. His profile has to go away for a while. Joshua has to win a solid fight to get back in the ring. I personally would love to see Fury fight and if it’s not Fury, I’d like to push him Martin Bakole. Why not? Bakole is the top challenger, isn’t he?”

The way boxing is now, fighters who become pseudo-stars like Joshua don’t have to win a title. They don’t have to work hard to get the position because it’s about business.

If you were the heavyweight champion, you would fight Joshua because it meant a big payday, but it made boxing look more like a popularity contest than a real sport. It can’t be a real sport if popular fighters don’t have to win titles like regular fighters do.

“Bakole is the big favorite out there right now, the big favorite,” Gareth said of how Bakool would defeat the embattled 35-year-old Joshua.

If that match happens, AJ will now be Bakool’s bread and butter, but at least if he’s in that match, he’ll show that he believes in trying to win the title. Likewise, it would look bad if Joshua got a rematch with Dubois after defeating the 39-year-old Wilder or Whyte.

“Maybe he is, but we’re talking about the best player against the best player. Let’s give it a try,” Cattrall said.