Anthony Joshua has several options available to him now.
By picking up the WBO heavyweight title on Saturday night with his unanimous decision victory over Joseph Parker in Cardiff, Joshua solidified his status as the biggest name in boxing’s heavyweight division.
After moving to 21-0, ‘AJ’ could try to become the first undisputed heavyweight champion of the world since Lennox Lewis by pursuing a huge fight with WBC title-holder Deontay Wilder.
Tyson Fury’s name was also dropped by Joshua in his post-fight interview in relation to potential opponents while Alexander Povetkin remains a mandatory challenger for ‘AJ’.
The next step on Joshua’s career journey will be a fascinating one but we know for sure one opponent that Joshua won’t be facing next. And it’s his most recent one.
Parker’s team immediately suggested that fans would “demand” a rematch of Saturday night’s main event due to the controversy surrounding referee Giuseppe Quartarone’s role in the match-up.
But Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn immediately shot down the possibility of running the fight back.
“Yeah, definitely,” Hearn said when asked if a rematch was a non-runner.
“But he is going to come again. He wasn’t good enough tonight but he’s a very good fighter. We need people like Joseph Parker in the division. The more people that are active and are good quality heavyweights the better.”
The referee has been criticised by everyone from ring announcer Michael Buffer to UFC President Dana White due to his insistence on breaking up every close exchange between Joshua and Parker.
That played right into Joshua’s gameplan as he was content to use his reach advantage to keep his opponent on the outside, safe in the knowledge that the referee would step in if Parker tried to in-fight.
It wasn’t a classic by any means and while Parker’s camp might be guilty of wishful thinking, we’re definitely not getting Joshua vs. Parker II.
