sport news What could be next for Anthony Joshua as he prepares for tough test against ... trends now
Anthony Joshua will do battle with Francis Ngannou on Friday evening in a money-spinning 'Knockout Choaos' event in Riyadh.
There is a lot riding on the result of the bout, with former world champion Joshua looking to continue climbing the heavyweight rankings once again and Ngannou aiming to prove he belongs in the sport after making the jump from MMA.
Whoever wins will likely be plummeted into the world title scene, while the loser could be left with little direction and scratching around for what is next in their career.
For Ngannou, MMA will always be there. He has teased a return to the sport following his exit from UFC, but it's not the same for Joshua. It's always been boxing, and another devastating loss could be costly for his career.
Mail Sport has looked at what could be next for the Brit should he win, and should he lose.
Anthony Joshua (pictured) is looking to secure himself another potential world title shot in beating Francis Ngannou on Friday
Joshua and Ngannou (right) will go head-to-head in a money-spinning heavyweight bout in Saudi Arabia
Tyson Fury
Boxing fans have been wondering for years whether two of Britain's greatest heavyweight titans will ever face off on the back of countless breakdowns of negotiations.
The pair put their differences aside to pose for an iconic photo alongside Ngannou and Cristiano Ronaldo on Tuesday night, and once again all signs seem to point to a potential face off.
Both men aren't getting any younger. Fury is 35 and claimed to have retired as recently as his win over Dillian Whyte in early 2022, while Joshua is now 34 and has endured a somewhat change in persona since damaging back-to-back defeats to Oleksandr Usyk.
Should Joshua and Tyson Fury (pictured) both win their next fights, they could finally face off
The pair put their differences aside to pose for an iconic photo in Saudi Arabia this week
Since then, though, Joshua has registered three victories in a row and is one of the biggest starts in the division. There's only so much left for him to do.
'His Excellency said the winner of this fight faces the winner of Fury-Usyk,' Joshua's promoter, Eddie Hearn, told "MMA Hour. 'That is a dream chance for us because we chased that for so long.
'AJ is going to beat Francis Ngannou, and then he's going to beat the winner of Fury-Usyk, and he's going to become the undisputed heavyweight world champion.'
If both men win their bouts, then a fight is possible. And with Fury acknowledging that he struggles to stay out the ring, two losses could lead to a face-off too.
Fury is preparing for a fight against Oleksandr Usyk (right) in May, with the winner set to face the victor of Friday's bout
Oleksandr Usyk
And that leads us to the other champion. Joshua was outclassed twice by the Ukrainian in 2021 and 2022, and many think he would be again, but the Brit would jump at another chance to test himself.
