Anthony Joshua vs Dillian Whyte falls through with new opponent needed by ‘this weekend’

Anthony Joshua will not fight Dillian Whyte next, according to Eddie Hearn, who is seeking a new opponent for “AJ” by ‘this weekend’.

Joshua is eyeing a 12 August bout in order to stay sharp ahead of a potential December clash with Deontay Wilder, and Whyte – whom Joshua knocked out in 2015 – was the preferred opponent.

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Joshua vs Whyte 2 has now fallen through, said Hearn, who promotes both British heavyweights. And if Joshua is to fight on 12 August, a new opponent must be found ‘this weekend’, Hearn said.

“It’s not true [that Whyte asked for £10million],” Hearn told Boxing Social, addressing recent reports. “It’s not true at all. We made him an offer, they made it clear it was nowhere near their expectations.

“Quite honestly there were very little negotiations after that. He never asked for £10m, I’m not sure where that came from, but it’s not the case.”

Agit Kabayel has already been linked with Joshua, 33, and Hearn said of the German heavyweight: “He may be on a long list. I mean, anyone in the top 15...

“Look, I don’t mind being honest: AJ’s gonna fight Deontay Wilder in December, that’s 100 per cent our focus, so he needs a fight against someone who is going to allow him to work on – under the lights – everything he’s been working on with [coach] Derrick James.

“There’s no point fighting a fight against someone he’s going to take out in a round. It’s difficult to fight an elite, top-three or top-five guy when you’re fighting Deontay Wilder four months later.

“We’re in a little bit of a difficult position, it is what it is. We want him to fight, I don’t think Saudi [Arabia] want him to fight, because they want him to be ready for Deontay Wilder in December. But we all feel as a team – Derrick James, Anthony, 258 [Management] – that it would be beneficial for his preparation to have that fight in August.”

Sky has reported that Jarrell Miller, who was due to box Joshua in 2019, could be next for the former two-time world champion, but Hearn expressed doubt. Joshua vs Miller initially fell through after the latter tested positive for a performance-enhancing drug.

“I don’t think the Jarrell Miller fight’s gonna happen, no,” Hearn said. “Look, who knows what’s gonna happen in the future?

“Kabayel is the European champion, he’s top 15, he’s on a list of four or five that it could be, but we need to close it out this weekend really if Joshua’s going to fight on 12 August. We are up against it time-wise.”

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