A FAMILIAR foe is at the front of the queue to face Anthony Joshua next after his return win against Jermaine Franklin.
AJ bounced back from consecutive losses to Oleksandr Usyk with an uninspiring points victory over the American at the O2 Arena.
Franklin had lost in November to Dillian Whyte, who was in attendance to watch AJ’s victory.
And promoter Eddie Hearn revealed Whyte, 34, is the leading name to fight Joshua, 33, next.
He told Chris Mannix: “I think that’s the frontrunner. I quite like the Otto Wallin fight, really, but he’s a southpaw.
“So if a deal can be reached with Dillian Whyte, then I think that would be a smart fight for both.”
Joshua’s history with Whyte dates back to the amateurs, losing their thriller but avenging the loss by stoppage in the pros six years later.
And Hearn believes a series decider could bring the best out of AJ, who failed to blow away Franklin, 29, in his comeback bout.
Wallin – who gave Tyson Fury 47 stitches during his 2019 loss – is an alternative option for Joshua despite being a southpaw.
But with huge fights against Fury or Deontay Wilder on the horizon for AJ, an orthodox opponent for his return is more likely.
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Hearn said: “I like the [Otto Wallin] fight in that respect and because he had a good fight with Fury, but the problem is, he’s a southpaw.
“But when you’re progressing with a trainer, the last thing Derrick James wants is a southpaw, especially when you’re not going to go and fight another southpaw in Fury and Wilder.
“So why would you go and fight another southpaw?”
