Eddie Hearn has revealed that Anthony Joshua must agree his next fight within days, with a potential bout against Agit Kabayel being considered. The promoter stated that Joshua needs to face an opponent in August to prepare for a planned December showdown with Deontay Wilder in Saudi Arabia.
Hearn told Boxing Social that Kabayel is among a list of possible fighters ranked in the top 15 by the major organisations. The German boxer holds an undefeated record of 23-0 and would allow Joshua four months to recover before the proposed Wilder fight.
The promoter also disclosed that Dillian Whyte turned down an offer from Matchroom, leading to the search for alternatives. Hearn expressed optimism about finalising the Wilder bout but emphasised that Joshua has only a few days to announce his next opponent.
“There’s two or three opponents that we’re looking at but I’m not going to tell you who they are. But we need to do it this week,” Hearn told iFL TV. He added that while Saudi Arabian organisers prefer Joshua not to fight in August, the team believes it would benefit his preparation.
Joshua, 33, is training under coach Derrick James and recently defeated Jermaine Franklin in April. The former world champion aims to continue his development ahead of a potential mega-event in December that could also feature Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk.
