With Wladimir Klitschko having announced his retirement from boxing last week, Anthony Joshua?s management team are having to re-think their plans for the fighter.
A mega-money re-match with Wladimir Klitschko is now not going to happen and Joshua will now have to fulfil mandatory defence requirements to keep hold of his IBF and WBA belts.
The IBF mandatory challenger is Kubrat Pulev whilst the WBA mandatory challenger is Luis Ortiz.
Both authorities have set timelines for their respective defences, time-lines that unfortunately clash.
However, Joshua?s promoter, Eddie Hearn is looking to keep things on an even keel by putting together a three-fight plan that would appease the authorities.
First up would be the IBF defence against Pulev which would then be followed by the WBA defence against Ortiz.
If, as expected, Joshua comes through those two fights unscathed Hearn?s plan is for a unification fight for Joshua with the current WBC world heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder.
It appears, on paper, to be a decent plan, let?s hope those controlling bodies see sense and let Hearn get on with it.
Hearn?s Three-Fight Plan for Joshua
