The water on which Anthony Joshua’s next few fights float has suddenly muddied.
With a lack of available bonafide superstars at heavyweight, given the ongoing impasse involving Tyson Fury, Joshua’s immediate future looked relatively clear.
He is already scheduled to honour the mandatory defence of his IBF world title against Kubrat Pulev in Cardiff’s Principality Stadium next month, a bout which was confirmed after the talk of a rematch with Wladimir Klitschko was ended with the Ukrainian legend’s decision to hang up his gloves for good.
According to bookmakers, Joshua is heavily favoured (1/25) to continue his undefeated professional career when he defends his title against the Bulgarian in Wales and while anything can happen in boxing, particularly at heavyweight, those predicting an upset are few and far between.
So presuming Joshua moves to 20-0, the next move for the 27-year-old remains more mysterious than ever.
Promoter Eddie Hearn had literally just confirmed what he’d hoped to do, which was a unification match-up for Joshua against the winner of the upcoming WBC heavyweight title fight between champion Deontay Wilder and challenger Luis Ortiz.
“We want the winner; simple as that,” Hearn told Sky Sports News.
“We’ll look at a fight in February or March. That was a key to boxing in October – to box three times next year.
“[Joshua] will have boxed twice this year, next year we’ll box February or March, then the summer. If [Joshua vs Wilder or Ortiz] is not February or March it has to be in the summer.
“AJ has got a big job on his hands. I think these are the four best heavyweights in the world now – Joshua, Pulev, Wilder and Ortiz.”
No sooner had those words been uttered by Hearn than the news arrived that Ortiz had tested positive for a banned substance ahead of the November 4 title shot.
WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman took to social media to confirm the failed test, which was conducted by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association and potentially puts his showdown with Wilder in jeopardy.
@WBCBoxing has received confirmation from @Vada_Testing that Luis Ortiz has tested positive for a banned substance under #CleanBoxingProgram
— Mauricio Sulaiman (@wbcmoro) September 29, 2017
Ortiz has previous with failed drugs tests, having been suspended for eight months by the Nevada State Athletic Commission three years ago after popping for Nandrolone, an anabolic steroid.
It’s unclear whether the unbeaten Cuban will still be allowed to challenge for the belt and, if he isn’t, any potential replacements for Wilder may not be qualified enough to prove the American’s worth as he aims to set up a huge payday against ‘AJ’.
We already know that the London 2012 gold medallist isn’t overly keen on meeting WBO heavyweight champion Joseph Parker next given the underwhelming nature of his most recent defence, a controversial majority decision over Hughie Fury which will be appealed by the British boxer and possibly result in a rematch.
“He didn’t look good doing it, which diminishes his value,” Hearn said of Parker.
“But he’s a belt-holder and a good fighter. Parker has looked average in his last three fights but against the right style, maybe someone like AJ, he could actually look better.”
Fury’s out, Ortiz might be suspended, Wilder may not get the showcase victory required to warrant a shot at Joshua and Parker vs. Fury II looks like it might be on the cards.
Hughie actually took the defeat better than his cousin https://t.co/WEtAw5ZFZi
— JOE (@JOE_co_uk) September 25, 2017
With the above scenarios all very likely, it remains to be seen what’s next for ‘AJ’, who is in desperate need of a legitimate rival to launch him into the realms of boxing greatness because fans’ patience with match-ups against relatively unheralded fighters, regardless of their champion statuses, will only last so long.
Someone needs to emerge from the fog to pose a genuine challenge to Joshua and, in an ideal world, that man would be Tyson Fury, but that remains a far-off hope at this point in time.
Of course, all it takes is one shot from Pulev to shock the world on October 28 and set up a monster rematch with ‘AJ’ because there are few more reliable bankers for pay-per-view success than the pursuit of vengeance.
What’s altogether more likely is that Joshua’s hype train coasts past the next station and leaves a frustrating search for a fight that will appeal to the masses.
