Anthony Joshua’s US debut has to happen sooner rather than later.
It would be astonishing if ‘AJ’ didn’t fight in America at some point in 2018 because, as popular as he is in his native Britain, there is simply too much money to be made in the lucrative American market to continue competing exclusively on these shores.
The bright lights of Las Vegas and New York are calling and it’s only a matter of time before boxing fans across the Atlantic become more familiar with the fighting pride of Watford.
“He’s world heavyweight champion, he’s not British heavyweight champion,” promoter Eddie Hearn said on talkSPORT this week.
“When you’re filling stadiums with 90,000 and creating the kinds of atmospheres that we are, sometimes it’s difficult to leave and he doesn’t really want to leave. He wants to stay in Britain but inevitably, 2018 will see a fight abroad.”
WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder recently claimed that casual fight fans in the US simply don’t know who Joshua is.
Many expected Wilder to be next up for Joshua presuming the London 2012 gold medallist successfully gets past Carlos Takam in Cardiff this weekend and Wilder triumphs in his upcoming title defence against Bermane Stiverne.
But now it seems that Wilder will fight Dillian Whyte next for a chance at meeting ‘AJ’, something which both men are open to, while Hearn has thrown a new name in the mix for Joshua’s first trip to America.
“Jarrell Miller’s making a lot of noise right now,” Hearn said.
“We look at potential opponents for Anthony Joshua, particularly in the United States and Jarrell Miller’s at the top of the list.”
Miller, like Joshua, has 19 career victories to his name and has yet to taste defeat in the ring.
And given Hearn’s recent suggestion that Madison Square Garden would be a tempting destination for Joshua’s US debut, what better opponent than the Brooklyn-born Miller for that particular bout?
“I think Jarrell Miller is one of the true heavyweights,” Hearn added.
“I’ve talked to Anthony about Jarrell. He rates him highly, he thinks he’s good fun and he’d be up for a fight like Jarrell Miller.
“He’d be one of the perfect guys to come over and take on in the States.”
