Fabio Wardley is open to making his first title defence against Anthony Joshua.
Wardley claimed the WBO interim title when he stopped Joseph Parker in the 11th round of their clash.
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Wardley has made an impressive rise up the ranks in his recent outings and now finds himself wearing the WBO crownCredit: Queensberry/Leigh Dawney
It was expected that the Ipswich native would then get a shot at Oleksandr Usyk, but the heavyweight king had other plans.
Usyk opted to relinquish his full WBO title, which saw Wardley upgraded to champion instead.
As he looks to make his first outing as title-holder, Wardley has since named Joshua as a potential option.
The 30-year-old explained to Sky Sports: “It would be a fight I’d take and I’d happily welcome.
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“Even though I’m obviously at the top now, I still want to face the best guys out there in the division, whether that’s AJ, Usyk, whoever it may be.
“I just want to be in big, competitive fights. I’m happy to take on all comers, in that aspect.
“I want to be in there with some of the best in the world.
“And he [Joshua] is undoubtedly one of those guys, one of those names.”
Joshua is currently gearing up for a controversial heavyweight match-up with Jake Paul this weekend.
Should everything go to plan for Joshua, he is expected to be headed for a long-awaited clash against Tyson Fury.
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Joshua is hoping to make lightwork of the Youtuber-turned-boxer before moving on to genuine heavyweight contendersCredit: Getty
The rivals are reportedly set to be headlining a stacked Riyadh Season event in 2026.
With both AJ and Fury said to be having separate fights in the meantime, either man could theoretically find themselves lacing up their gloves to take on Wardley.
Who could Fabio Wardley fight next?
Wardley has certainly established himself as a prime target for any heavyweight contender who is looking to take home gold, including Lawrence Okolie.
As he looks to dominate his new division, Okolie called for Wardley to consider him for a bout in the new year.
Elsewhere, Daniel Dubois has been heavily linked to a clash with his compatriot, which would see him look to become an immediate two-time world champion.
While Wardley’s next opponent seems undecided for now, his promoter Frank Warren has revealed the date they’re touting for his return.
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In August 2024, Wardley penned a deal with Warren’s QueensberryCredit: Getty
He told talkSPORT: “We will see where we go.
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“Fabio will be returning to the ring in April now, I am meeting up with him and his manager next week.
“We are going to get some lunch and decide what we are doing. There are plenty of options.”
Anthony Joshua v Jake Paul: Betting Odds
Odds courtesy of talkSPORT BET
Anthony Joshua – 1/11
Draw – 20/1
Jake Paul – 7/1
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