Joseph Parker, Charles Martin and Robert Helenius are trying to force a fight with AJ
Monday 9 March 2020 20:23, UK
Anthony Joshua's list of potential challengers has changed within a few weeks as surprise contenders and former opponents jostle for a shot at the unified champion.
The WBA 'super', IBF and WBO title holder is being targeted by an array of hopeful heavyweights, who are all trying to force their way into Joshua's future plans by winning eliminators with the various governing bodies.
Joshua has announced his next fight against IBF mandatory challenger Kubrat Pulev at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on June 20, live on Sky Sports Box Office, but more possible opponents are lining up for a shot at his three belts.
Joshua fulfilled a WBA mandatory title fight against Alexander Povetkin in September 2018, flooring the Russian twice in a seventh-round stoppage victory at Wembley Stadium.
At the weekend, Robert Helenius produced a dramatic fourth-round knockout win over the previously-unbeaten Adam Kownacki in a WBA eliminator in Brooklyn.
'The Nordic Nightmare' had previously suffered three defeats, including a 2017 point loss to Dillian Whyte, and is likely to be ordered into a final eliminator to earn a mandatory fight for the WBA 'super' belt.
Trevor Bryan is the No 1 contender in the complicated WBA rankings and the American, who holds the WBA 'interim' title, will instead challenge Mahmoud Charr for the WBA 'regular' title.
Oleksandr Usyk was immediately installed as the WBO mandatory challenger at heavyweight, having previously held the WBO cruiserweight title during his spell as the division's undisputed champion.
Usyk had been ordered to fight Joshua at the same time as Pulev, but will instead risk his mandatory status in an expected fight with Derek Chisora in May as defeat would ruin his chances of a world title fight later this year.
Joseph Parker sits at No 2 in the rankings and has welcomed a potential eliminator against Britain's Daniel Dubois, who is just behind at No 3.
Pulev has already secured his shot at Joshua, but former IBF title holder Charles Martin has propelled himself back into contention.
The American's brief reign as IBF champion was ended by a second-round stoppage loss to Joshua in 2016, although 'Prince Charles' has responded by winning five of his next six fights, culminating in last month's knockout of Gerald Washington in an IBF eliminator.
Martin will still have to fight in a final eliminator, potentially against former European champion Agit Kabayel, as he tries to force a rematch with Joshua.
What about Fury and his WBC belt?
Tyson Fury only needs to focus on his WBC title commitments, starting with a third fight against Deontay Wilder after the American's team activated the clause for an immediate return bout following his seventh-round stoppage loss in Las Vegas.
Whyte has earned a WBC mandatory title fight by February 2021, but the south Londoner's immediate priority is a fight against Povetkin in Manchester on May 2, live on Sky Sports Box Office.
Whyte's former opponent Oscar Rivas, who he defeated on points last summer, sits at No 3 in the rankings and could attempt to position himself for a title shot in the future.
