Anthony Joshua's pursuit of heavyweight supremacy takes an unexpected turn, now eyeing a clash with Croatian fighter Filip Hrgovic following Deontay Wilder's surprising loss to Joseph Parker.
Joshua, who delivered a commanding victory against Otto Wallin on the same fight card where Wilder faced defeat, is now positioned to contend for the IBF world title against the formidable Croatian, Hrgovic.
Initially slated for a showdown in March 2024, Joshua and Wilder were to face each other, contingent on securing victories in their respective matches.
While Joshua fulfilled his end of the agreement with an impressive performance, Wilder's defeat to Parker has cast doubt on the realization of their highly anticipated bout.
However, this turn of events presents a new opportunity for Joshua, as Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk are set to vie for the undisputed WBA, WBC, IBF, and WBO titles in February. This could potentially render the IBF belt vacant due to a mandatory defense.
As the current IBF number one contender, Hrgovic finds himself in a prime position to challenge for the now-vacant title, as reported by talkSPORT.
Joshua's triumphant performance against Wallin has elevated him to the IBF number two spot, laying the groundwork for a potential championship clash between Hrgovic and Joshua.
Commenting on the recent developments, Joshua's promoter Eddie Hearn remarked, “We signed for Wilder, he lost tonight. But maybe it’s a blessing because he wants to become a three-time heavyweight world champion. Now it’s gonna be AJ vs Hrgovic for the world title.”