Anthony Joshua to battle Wladimir Klitschko in a rematch

Anthony Joshua and Wladimir 

ANTHONY JOSHUA’S next opponent will be Wladimir Klitschko – if promoter Eddie Hearn gets his way.

The promoter is determined to schedule a re-match of last month’s epic Wembley encounter that saw Joshua win in 11 rounds after a TKO.

Joshua retained the IBF heavyweight title and won the vacant WBA super and IBO heavyweight belts in the process and wowed the 90,000-strong crowd and millions watching on television.

And Hearn, 37, is determined to make the fight happen again.He told Boxing News: “It’s one of the best fights I’ve seen; everyone wants to see it again.

“It’s the biggest fight out there for Josh, other than the Fury fight and I think he wins, so why not? That’s the fight we’d like next.”

Three possible top opponents for Joshua include Tyson Fury, who has not fought since he beat Klitschko in November 2015.

Or Deontay Wilder could be a blockbuster bout for Joshua, with the 31-year-old American currently holding the WBC heavyweight belt.

And Kiwi Joseph Parker is the current WBO heavyweight champ, but Tony Bellew has been making noises about fighting the 25-year-old.

There was also a re-match clause in the contract signed by Joshua and Klitschko, 41, before the original fight, with a possible 2018 date mooted.

That means Joshua would be free to fight later this year, with Klitschko feeling he has earned the respect he deserves for his spirited showing in the tense fight.

Hearn added: “My initial thoughts are that he’d take the re-match.

“I spoke to Bernd Boente and I don’t know.

"I don't know him well enough but I know he's a competitor and I feel like he's been searching for that respect for a long time and now he's got it, so maybe that gives him closure.

"Put it this way, he'd much rather retire off the back of that loss than the Fury loss.

"I reckon it's 50-50, but I was more positive at the start of the week."