Anthony Joshua has three-man shortlist for next fight but fans say ‘only one makes boxing sense’

ANTHONY JOSHUA has a three-man shortlist for his next fight – but fans only want one name.

AJ was set for a March 9 blockbuster against Deontay Wilder until the American blew the £100million deal by losing to Joseph Parker.

AFP

Anthony Joshua has a three-man shortlist for his next fight[/caption]

So now Joshua has to turn his attention elsewhere and Eddie Hearn wants him to fight the winner between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk.

But the promoter also named Filip Hrgovic, Zhilei Zhang and Francis Ngannou as alternatives.

Hearn told iFL TV: “Right now, we have three fights that we’re in discussions for.

“They’re all big and that doesn’t involve Deontay Wilder for March. Our aim, and they’ve expressed this is to fight the winner of Fury-Usyk.

“That’s all we want to do, obviously there’s the Hrgovic fight out there for the world heavyweight title.

“There’s a Francis Ngannou fight out there which would be absolutely colossal.

“There’s other heavyweights as well, there’s a Zhang fight possible as well with Queensberry.”

Fury, 35, and Usyk, 36, are believed to have signed a two-fight deal that could produce a rematch between the pair.

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And it would likely mean the winner would lose the IBF title for being unable to face mandatory challenger Hrgovic, 31.

So Joshua and Hearn are looking to capitalise by facing the Croatian for what would be a vacant title.

Meanwhile ex-UFC champion Ngannou crossed over to boxing in October to make his ring debut against Fury.

And he astonishingly dropped the WBC champ but was controversially beaten on points.

Ngannou, 37, has expressed his interest in remaining in boxing with a rematch against Fury and a Joshua fight touted.

And Zhang, 40, is riding high off consecutive stoppage wins over Joe Joyce, 38.

Following Hearn’s three-man shortlist of opponents fans called for the Hrgovic fight.

One said: “If AJ is serious about a legacy and becoming three time world champion, he stays away from the big money, novelty fight against Ngannou. Hrgovic is the only one that makes boxing sense.”

Another added: “It will be Hrgovic for a title.”

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Filip Hrgovic could fight Joshua for the vacant IBF title[/caption]