Despite numerous opponents lining up to chase a fight with Anthony Joshua, one name remains atop the list to take on the Watford star, it seems.
Linked with a laundry list of potential foes to stand opposite him in the ring, former two-time heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua remains locked in talks to fight the polarizing Jake Paul in his immediate return to the ring.
And while former light heavyweight champion Andre Ward gunned for a showdown with Joshua recently, it seems Joshua only has eyes for a pairing with Paul, regardless.
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Furthermore, a fellow Olympic gold medal winner — akin to Joshua — also looks set to miss out on the sweepstakes to fight the British fan-favorite.
Tony Yoka ruled from Anthony Joshua fight by promoter
Another name hot on the lips of boxing fans to share the ring with Joshua next is French prospect, Tony Yoka — who struck his Olympic gold medal at the Summer Games in Brazil back in 2016.
So much so, rumors suggested recently that Yoka was in a promising position to fight Joshua next — with a potential showdown in a blockbuster trip to Africa mooted.
But as far as Yoka’s promoter, Frank Warren, is concerned, the Queensberry leader admits Paul is still leading the hotly contested race to fight Joshua next.
“I haven’t had a conversation about it [a fight between Joshua and Yoka],” Warren told Boxing News. “What happened [is] — I think Tony (Yoka) wanted the fight from what I gather.
“But most of the conversation is about AJ fighting Jake Paul,” Warren continued. “I think they’re [the reports of the fight] are quite solid at the moment. But it’s not my business.”
Anthony Joshua urged to take Jake Paul fight
And while the subject of Joshua sharing the ring with Paul immediately has garnered some discourse in the sport’s circles, a former foe of the ex-champion has urged him to take the lucrative fight.
Still yet to return since his hellacious knockout defeat to Daniel Dubois, Joshua has been backed by recent feature Dillian Whyte to just book the Paul fight while he can still make significant money in the ring.
“It’s a business, man,” Whyte told the BBC. “If it (Anthony Joshua vs. Jake Paul) makes sense and it does numbers, then why not?
“He’s won the title twice, he’s done a lot,” Whyte said of Joshua. “[He’s] had a lot of fights. I’m sure he’ll make more money from that fight [with Paul] than he has done in some of his title fights.