Anthony Joshua’s hopes of becoming the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world could be put on hold, with promoter Eddie Hearn instead lining up a summer showdown with Jarrell Miller.
AJ takes on New Zealand ‘s Joseph Parker for the WBA, WBO and IBF titles on March 31, less than a month after WBC champion Deontay Wilder defends his WBC strap against Luis Ortiz.
Should both Joshua and Wilder come through their respective challenges, the two giants had been touted to meet for all four major belts later this year.
But Hearn says that blockbuster showdown remains unlikely while The Bronze Bomber lives on ‘Fantasy Island’.
Instead, the promoter is in talks with the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, where he hopes AJ could make his US debut this summer against unbeaten American ‘Big Baby’ Miller.
‘While Deontay Wilder continues to live at a street address on ‘Fantasy Island,’ this (Joshua-Miller) is the fight that we will look to make in August,’ he told Boxing scene.
‘I’m already in talks with (the Barclays Center’s) Brett Yormark that all being well on March 31st, New York is the venue for Anthony Joshua’s next fight. If that’s not against Deontay Wilder, Jarrell Miller will be the guy.
He added: ‘That’s the plan… (but) we have to win on March 31st. And AJ’s not even thinking about August. It’s not like we’re overlooking Parker. It’s my job to plan the future, and the future is a fight in America in 2018.’
Miller will look to extend his own unbeaten record when he takes on Frenchman Johann Duhaupas at the Barclays Center on April 28.
