After fighting Jake Paul in Miami on Friday night, we look at five potential opponents for Anthony Joshua's next bout.
After overcoming Jake Paul, Anthony Joshua now has eyes on a long-awaited showdown with Tyson Fury. However, to tee up the clash with his perennial foe, both ‘AJ’ and ‘The Gypsy King’ must first come through their respective February tune-up bouts unscathed.
The latest betting odds has Tyson Fury a 1/2 betting favourite to beat Anthony Joshua if the pair were ever going to meet.
Here, we look at who Eddie Hearn may pit Joshua against in February, in order to best prepare his fighter without risking disruption to his proposed meeting with Fury in late 2026.
1. Efe Ajagba, 20-1-1 (14 KOs)
Joshua had been linked to a fight with Nigeria’s Efe Ajagba prior to his short-notice scrap with Paul, with Ajagba deemed an ideal opponent for an event in Africa. The 31-year-old drew with Martin Bakole in his lone outing of 2025 and is ranked with three of the four sanctioning bodies.
At 6’ 6”, Ajagba boasts the necessary height to prepare Joshua for Fury, without being considered an elite contender. Should Joshua’s February appearance take place in Africa, Ajagba would unquestionably be the frontrunner for the opposing corner.
2. Ivan Dychko, 15-1 (14 KOs)
If height is what Hearn is looking for, he need look no further than 6’ 9” Ivan Dychko, who suffered a first career defeat when tasked with former Joshua opponent Jermaine Franklin Jr. back in September.
Dychko has been in pursuit of a scrap with Joshua since turning professional in 2017, seeking to avenge his London 2012 Olympic Games semi-final defeat to the eventual two-time heavyweight world champion.
Now, after suffering a first pro setback, the limited Kazakh may get his shot at an unlikely upset, almost 14 years since his amateur loss to the Briton.
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3. Dillian Whyte, 31-4 (21 KOs)
Whilst Fury and Joshua’s rivalry has been somewhat manufactured due to their success, Joshua’s dislike of Dillian Whyte needed no encouragement. ‘The Body Snatcher’ famously trumped Joshua in the amateurs, but Joshua scored an emphatic knockout win when they met in the pro ranks back in 2015.
In 2023, the pair were scheduled to meet once again, but a failed drugs test saw Whyte forced to withdraw. The 37-year-old has since been stopped by Moses Itauma inside of one round and looks to be well past his pest.
If presented with the opportunity to send Whyte into retirement, there is every chance that Joshua will be licking his chops.
4. Arslanbek Makhmudov, 21-2 (19 KOs)
A once feared bogeyman, Russia’s Arslanbek Makhmudov has seemingly become more human in recent years, with knockout defeats to both Agit Kabayel and Guido Vianello exposing his one-dimensional style.
Still, the ‘The Lion’ claimed that he was promised the Joshua fight after his October victory over David Allen and his towering stature, coupled with a sub-par skill set, could explain why the 36-year-old is of interest to Team AJ.
5. Hughie Fury, 31-3 (18 KOs)
Last but not least comes a leftfield pick in Hughie Fury, cousin of Tyson. Hughie Fury unsuccessfully challenged Joseph Parker for the WBO heavyweight title in 2017 and has only lost to high-level operators, with Kubrat Pulev and Alexander Povetkin handing him his two other defeats.
Saudi powerhouse Turki Al-Alshikh is behind the Fury-Joshua event, and the financial juggernaut loves a storyline. As a result, a low-risk encounter with another member of the Fury family could be of interest to him, as he looks to develop maximum interest for what will surely be the biggest card of 2026.
