Anthony Joshua has been urged to take a comeback fight against Filip Hrgovic before deciding his next moves.
Joshua is currently at a crossroads in his heavyweight career after being brutally dropped three times and stopped by Daniel Dubois in September.
He was first expected to rematch Dubois but those plans were shelved after it was suggested he would not be ready for the targeted February date.
AJ then instead declared he would like to settle his rivalry with Tyson Fury in 2025, but the ‘Gypsy King’ then decided to announce his retirement from the sport.
The former two-time champion could now face a number of alternative opponents if he chooses to return, with the division’s boogeyman Martin Bakole also issuing a call-out.
But boxing broadcaster Ade Oladipo suggested on the latest episode of talkBOXING, that Hrgovic would be a sensible step for his next outing.
He said: “It is now a case of what do you do? Do you do a rebuild and go down a level and fight them Jermaine Franklin types?
“If he is here for the next two or three years then you do the rebuild, but I think he is only here for 12 months.
“If the fight with Fury doesn’t happen, I honestly think you go Hrgovic vs Dubois or Hrgovic vs Bakole.
“I don’t want to see the Dillian Whyte fight or the Deontay Wilder fight.
“I think you go in with someone who has only lost once in Hrgovic, and then go. It is a gauge of where you are.”
talkSPORT host Simon Jordan then questioned the value in Joshua fighting Hrgovic to which Oladipo replied: “Just to see if it is still there.
“To go through training camp and sparring to see if you still have it, it’s one thing saying it and another knowing it.
“I think Hrgovic will look at the Dubois fights and think he can win. I think it’s a closer fight than what people think.
“It’s still someone in the top ten and top 15, but then we can work out from that performance if we want to see a Dubois rematch or a fight with Bakole.”
Joshua has been linked with a clash against Hrgovic in the past, with the pair having both been stopped by Dubois.
It would be a reasonable test to work away any ring rust before challenging Bakole.
Bakole is considered an avoided fighter in the heavyweight division, and is campaigning for a huge clash against Joshua in Africa.
Joshua has surprisingly faced off with Bakole, but could have other priorities including future revenge against Dubois.
‘Dynamite’ currently holds the IBF belt and Joshua could become a three-time heavyweight champion if he does pursue future redemption.
But Oladipo and Jordan have themselves cast doubt on if there is genuine interest from Joshua in pursuing a sequel in 2025.
Jordan said: “It’s his decision, he is the captain of his own ship. He’s said this himself.
“If he wants to fight Daniel Dubois, he will fight Daniel Dubois but I’m questioning that.”
Oladipo added: “If AJ wants to fight Dubois, it should be happening tomorrow, he should be that guy.
Jordan continued: “So I assume by the very nature of it that he doesn’t want to fight Dubois, because he isn’t fighting Dubois.
Oladipo replied: “Yeah, I can’t argue with that because I suppose if AJ wanted to fight Dubois, we wouldn’t be seeing Dubois vs Parker.”
