Anthony Joshua potential competitor next up might not be in a world title unification after all, which no doubt will disappoint fans.

Negotiations are ongoing at present for Joshua to take on WBO heavyweight champion Joseph Parker in a fight suspected to be aimed at for next March.

However there has been a bone of contention with the split negotiations between the camps, with team Parker not willing to budge of their final offer of 65-35 in favor of Joshua.

If an agreement cannot be reached the reality for fans is that they my not see Joshua in a big fight again next up, or a unification fight.

While the Carlos Takam bout certainly proved to be an entertaining one for as long as it lasted last time out, fight fans, after a terrific 2017 for the sport, have grown demanding for the sport’s biggest stars to be involved in big fights consistently.

Just like the UFC force their big stars to do every year.

However speaking to Sky Sports, promoter of Joshua – Eddie Hearn said that the WBA mandatory might have to be considered next up:

“With whoever is made WBA mandatory, would there be an exception made for a unification fight? Yes, is the answer.”

He added:

“Luis Ortiz was the mandatory but has been banned so there will be a new one. Manuel Charr has won the ‘regular’ title but they are not looking at him as a mandatory challenger.”

What that means is the mandatory for the WBA belt could actually become Russian Alexander Povetkin.

Povetkin recently served out a ban from the sport and now returns to fight Christian Hammer in ten days time on December 15th.

If he were to win, in theory he would become the WBA mandatory.

This would likely would not go down well with fans who are only interested in seeing Joshua in unification fights in 2018.

Or else a fight with Tyson Fury.