Eddie Hearn, the promoter for Anthony Joshua, has announced that the highly anticipated rematch between Joshua and Dillian Whyte will not take place as scheduled on August 12. The decision comes after Whyte demanded a significantly higher purse than what Matchroom, Joshua’s promotion team, was willing to offer for the bout.
Instead, Joshua will now look to face a different opponent in his upcoming fight before his much-anticipated showdown with Deontay Wilder in December.
“We presented them with an offer, but it fell far short of their expectations, and unfortunately, negotiations didn’t progress much further,” Hearn explained to Boxing Social.
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Among the list of potential opponents for Joshua, European heavyweight champion Agit Kabayel stands out as a viable candidate. However, Jarrell Miller, previously considered for the matchup, has been ruled out due to a previous drug testing controversy surrounding their planned encounter in 2019.
“Agit Kabayel is among the names being considered,” Hearn added. “We’re open to anyone in the top fifteen. I’ll be straightforward: AJ’s main focus is his fight against Deontay Wilder in December.”
While Joshua’s team explores other options, the absence of a rematch with Whyte signifies a significant shift in plans. Nevertheless, Joshua is determined to find an opponent who will provide a suitable challenge and allow him to showcase the skills he has been honing under the guidance of his trainer, Derrick James.
Furthermore, Kabayel’s impressive professional record of 23-0, coupled with his rankings across all major sanctioning bodies, makes him a worthy contender. His most notable victory came against Derek Chisora, whom he defeated by majority decision to defend his European title in 2017.
Interestingly, Kabayel has also been linked to a potential matchup with Tyson Fury and is currently the second favorite, following Martin Bakole, to face Fury in his next fight, according to bookmakers.