After stringing together three successive wins in 2023, it looks like Anthony Joshua's career is back on track.
Following two back-to-back losses to Oleksandr Usyk, some were questioning whether Joshua could reach the top table once again, but after a devastating fifth round stoppage win over Otto Wallin at "Day of Reckoning", any doubts seem to have been squashed.
Initially, it was expected that if Joshua beat Wallin, a meeting with Deontay Wilder would be next in 2024. However, boxing more often than not doesn't go to plan, and it was the same here with Wilder losing to Joseph Parker which has thrown the American's career into disarray.
Joshua has made it no secret that he wants to become a three-time world heavyweight champion and that opportunity may come within the next 12 months. While Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk will meet for the undisputed world heavyweight title on February 17, it's expected that a rematch will follow and therefore the winner will likely have the IBF title stripped.
This could then result in Joshua facing the IBF mandatory challenger Filip Hrogvic for the vacant belt and according to legendary boxing trainer and analyst Teddy Atlas, there will only be one clear winner if this fight does materialise.
“Hrgovic is the number one contender, he’s undefeated. I thought he lost to the Chinese fighter [Zhilei Zhang]. I don’t think that much of Hrgovic, I think Joshua takes him apart," Atlas told The Fight podcast.
“Hrgovic was supposed to be promised the winner of Fury and Usyk but it would be easier to get him to fight Joshua because you can’t make more money than you can against Joshua.”