By Arslanbek Makhmudov secured a dominant unanimous-decision victory over Dave Allen in Sheffield at the weekend. Following the win, Makhmudov has set his sights on Anthony Joshua. His promoter, Camille Estephan, said: “He’s proved he’s got more than just knockout power, but the question is, can AJ handle it?”
Arslanbek Makhmudov believes his impressive win over Dave Allen has put him in contention for a potential 2026 fight with Anthony Joshua.
Joshua’s team plans for him to return to the ring once or twice before facing one of the top names in the heavyweight division next summer. After his dominant unanimous-decision victory in Sheffield, Makhmudov thinks he could be in the mix for Joshua’s next opponent.
His promoter, Camille Estephan, is confident the matchup would excite fans. “It would be a great fight,” he said. “Arslanbek showed against Allen that he has more than just raw power. The question is, can AJ handle it? I think a lot of fans would love to find out.”
Known for his punching strength, Makhmudov has faced top competition, including current WBC interim champion Agit Kabayel and Olympian Guido Vianello.
After beating Allen, Makhmudov called out Joshua directly: “Anthony Joshua, where are you? I’m coming for you. I’ve already spoken with him, and he promised to fight me next year. I’m ready.”
Eddie Hearn, Joshua promoter said he is hopeful that a fight between Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury is possible
Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, has said AJ is eager to stay active. “If he fights this year, it’ll just be a tune-up bout, not against a top 15 opponent,” Hearn explained. “He could have one or two fights before Tyson Fury, depending on how things develop, but nothing has been decided yet.”
