Anthony Joshua’s subsequent battle revealed after Dillian Whyte failed doping take a look at – reside

Is it the appropriate choice if Joshua does certainly battle this weekend?

He has his eyes on a seismic battle with Deontay Wilder, which is within the works for early subsequent yr in Saudi Arabia, and Joshua will need to have some ring time earlier than then.

A rematch with Whyte would have been an excellent take a look at for AJ, earlier than a possible conflict with Wilder, but it surely appears Joshua believes that any competitors this weekend is healthier than none.

Maybe there’s even time for one more battle later this yr, if Joshua needs it.

His final battle was pretty current, admittedly, when he outpointed Jermaine Franklin in April, and it was the Briton’s first bout below coach Derrick James. So, for Joshua, any exercise between now and a battle with Wilder is just not solely about conserving sharp – it’s additionally about working extra with James.

Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn is because of communicate on Talksport at 11am at this time, along with his firm Matchroom having teased information round Saturday’s occasion. We’ll hold you lined with all the most recent round Joshua’s anticipated new fightm and what Hearn has to say.

Whyte has vowed to show his innocence after returning “adversarial analytical findings” within the doping take a look at that led to the cancellation of his bout in opposition to Joshua this week.

Whyte wrote on his social-media channels on the weekend: “I’m shocked and devastated to study of a report by VADA of adversarial findings regarding me.

“I solely realized of it this morning and am nonetheless reacting to it. I’ve additionally simply seen that the battle is being cancelled with out having any likelihood to reveal my innocence earlier than the choice was taken.

“I can affirm with no shadow of doubt that I’ve not taken the reported substance, on this camp or at any level in my life. I’m fully harmless and ask to be given the time to undergo the method of proving this with out anyone leaping to conclusions or a trial by media.”

Whyte served a two-year medicine ban from 2012 to 2014 and was cleared of a doping violation in 2019, after UK Anti-Doping concluded the degrees in his pattern have been “very low” and he was finally to not blame.

Whyte has categorically denied that he took the reported substance and has requested for time to show his innocence.

The Voluntary Anti-Doping Affiliation stated it had knowledgeable the Affiliation of Boxing Commissions and the British Boxing Board of Management {that a} “random anti-doping protocol” undertaken by Whyte had returned the outcome, resulting in the bout being known as off and an investigation being launched.

Matchroom stated: “In gentle of this information, the battle shall be cancelled, and a full investigation shall be carried out. Additional info on the occasion will comply with.”

The bout was because of happen on the O2 Area in London.

Anthony Joshua is anticipated to battle a brand new opponent on Saturday, after opponent Dillian Whyte returned an ‘adversarial discovering’ in a drug take a look at final week.

Joshua vs Whyte 2 would have been a rematch eight years within the making, with “AJ” having knocked out his fellow Briton in 2015 to avenge an beginner defeat by Whyte. Nonetheless, Saturday’s rematch on the O2 Area in London fell via when Whyte, 35, failed a doping take a look at final week.

Whyte has maintained his innocence, whereas it was initially unclear whether or not Joshua, 33, would nonetheless compete on Saturday. However now his promoter Eddie Hearn has teased an announcement this morning (8 August), with followers anticipating to listen to that AJ shall be combating a recent opponent.

The previous two-time world heavyweight champion final boxed in April, beating Jermaine Franklin on factors on the O2 to bounce again from two straight losses to Oleksandr Usyk. The unbeaten Ukrainian beat Joshua on factors in 2021 to take the unified heavyweight titles, earlier than retaining them in opposition to the Briton with one other choice win in August 2022.

Comply with reside updates proper right here as Joshua’s new opponent is known as.