Looks like Anthony Joshua’s stare-down with Deontay Wilder, who called him out last weekend after defeating Derek Chisora, may not go in vain. AJ’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, believes a matchup between the two former heavyweight champions may soon follow. However, the Matchroom boss added a layer of intrigue by labeling Joshua vs. Wilder a “warm-up.”

That framing naturally leads to a bigger question: if it’s a “warm-up,” what comes next? Speaking with reporters at the kick-off press conference of the marquee event headlined by Xander Zayas and Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis, Eddie Hearn indicated that a long-anticipated showdown with Tyson Fury could follow by the end of the year.

“This is what I want,” Hearn said. “We need a warm-up fight before we fight Tyson Fury because AJ’s coming off the accident. He’s rehabilitating his body, etc. We’ll take Deontay Wilder as that warm-up fight. And then we’ll fight Tyson Fury in December.”

He also addressed the accident Anthony Joshua suffered this past December. While the former unified heavyweight champion escaped with minor injuries, the tragic incident resulted in the death of his two close friends, Sina Ghami and Latif Ayodele. The emotional toll of the event carried more weight than the physical recovery.

Despite that setback, Hearn remains confident Joshua will respond well and perform strongly against Deontay Wilder.

“By the way, I respect Wilder and I think he looked much better in that fight than he has done previously,” the English promoter added. “But let me tell you cuz I was 6 feet away. Anthony Joshua will walk through Deontay Wilder within three rounds.”

Hearn’s comments are likely to shape how AJ’s immediate future pans out. Wilder has already issued an open callout to him.

Anthony Joshua vs. Tyson Fury – will the long wait end soon?

Walking back to his dressing room after the Chisora fight, the American looked at Joshua and said, “Let’s do it.” Taken together, those developments point to Wilder as a natural next step. However, that is not the only direction Joshua’s career could take.

He has also been called out by long-time domestic rival Tyson Fury.

Coming out of a 12-month retirement, the former WBC champion is set to face heavyweight contender Arslanbek Makhmudov in his comeback fight on a Netflix boxing event scheduled this weekend. At the same time, he is already looking ahead, mapping out a plan that includes the long-awaited fight against Anthony Joshua.

“That fight was supposed to happen so many times over the last 10 years, but then someone has had one more fight in between, and someone has gotten knocked out or injured,” Fury told reporters. “I think we should get this fight on as soon as possible, in case something happens in between. The problem is, in heavyweight boxing, anything can go wrong; there are no easy fights. And if you get knocked upside down, it’s finished; it’s done. I want the fight next, and I am sure that AJ feels the same.”

In that context, Fury’s position stands in contrast to Eddie Hearn’s outlook. While Hearn sees Wilder as a logical stepping stone, Fury sees little reason to delay a potential clash between the two.

That contrast adds further weight to the ongoing discussion, with Fury’s camp also closely monitoring how things unfold.

The current landscape offers several high-stakes possibilities for fans. After the knockout loss to Daniel Dubois slowed his momentum, Joshua is working his way back into form. He may be past his prime, but he remains a relevant force in the heavyweight division. He now trains alongside his former opponent Oleksandr Usyk, and the heavyweight king believes Joshua can still reach undisputed status in the coming years.

“In 2027, Anthony (will be the) undisputed champion. Good idea. Usyk help – signed. AJ, you are the undisputed champion in 2027,” Usyk said. “It’s possible… Anthony is a champion. Yes, I know Anthony doesn’t have the belts, but for me it doesn’t matter… I know Anthony will become undisputed.”