'Anthony Joshua not at peak yet' - Gareth A Davies answers your boxing questions 

Anthony Joshua celebrates victory over Alexander Povetkin during the IBF, WBA Super, WBO & IBO World Heavyweight Championship title fight between Anthony Joshua and Alexander Povetkin at Wembley Stadium
The Telegraph's boxing correspondent, Gareth A Davies, believes Anthony Joshua is yet to hit his peak form 

Following Anthony Joshua's seventh-round knockout victory over Alexander Povetkin on Saturday evening, attention has turned to who the British heavyweight will fight next.

With Joshua’s next bout set to take place at Wembley Stadium on April 13, 2019 any one of Deontay Wilder, Dillian Whyte and Tyson Fury are now possible opponents.

The Telegraph’s boxing correspondent, Gareth A Davies, spoke to readers following his win over Povetkin to answer their questions regarding Joshua’s next steps, as well as discussing where the British star now ranks among the heavyweight greats.

Have an opinion on who Joshua should fight next? Let us know in the comment section below. To join the conversation, simply log in to your Telegraph account or register for free here

@Steve_Grocutt: Am I right in thinking the Hughie v Pulev fight is a IBF mandatory ? If so, could the winner fight AJ in April?

Gareth Davies: Yes, that is the case. Think about this: If Hughie Fury beats Pulev, and Tyson Fury beats Deontay Wilder, two Furys will be pursuing Joshua from the IBF and WBC angles. That will create some real heat.

@Walter Ellis: I like the phrase, "like clothes falling into a suitcase".

GD: The truth is Povetkin should not have got up from that first knockdown in the seventh, Joshua ruined him with that first left hook right combo. Shows how conditioned and proud the Russian is. Great scenes afterwards between them, by the way.

@Jontus Plontus MacSpoonmann: Mike Tyson would of wasted him in three. Joshua seems like a nice chap, but his limits have not yet been tested. 

GD: Nothing wrong with your argument, but Joshua not at peak yet. Tyson was a handful for anyone in his prime. Joshua would not have the skills yet to do what Tucker, Smith et al did going 12 rounds with him.

@David Waterworth: Lennox would have made a mess of Joshua at this stage in his career had they met. Joshua may go on to become as good as Lennox, but there's a long way to go yet.

GD: At this stage in his career Lennox was fighting for the Commonwealth title - Razor Ruddock, with Tony Tucker next, WBC title. It was at that point that Riddick Bowe famously dumped the belt in a bin...rather than fight Lewis leaving it vacant.

@G Mac: Joshua beats up an older, lighter and smaller man. Hold the front page. Wilder at least is about the same size so that might be more interesting.

GD:  It will be, and that is a point well made. Age was a factor, but so too Povetkin's style. He had never been stopped remember, and Klitschko had him down four times, but he kept coming.   

@David Nesbit: When you concede as much height, reach and weight advantage to an opponent at this level it’s not really a contest, is it?

GD: David, it was very much a contest. Povetkin was very dangerous for five/six rounds. Joshua was caught heavily with 15 seconds left in the opening stanza. 

@Jane Goldsmith: I remember Henry Cooper and Frank Bruno were big stars. Why isn't more being made of Joshua's success? Is it because none of his fights are on the BBC or ITV?

GD: Joshua is a big star and is at the forefront of a great area. Times have changed with TV companies, gone are the days of 10-15million viewers nationally and it is limited now to those willing to pay. In pay per view terms, Joshua is a star. He earned around 20 million pounds last night. That's pulling power in the modern fight industry.

@Peter Skell: The fight was absolutely brilliant - both men showed courage, determination and wiliness. First time I’ve seen Joshua fight and he is a true great.

GD: Peter, agree on all counts. We saw what a great finisher Joshua is last night. And that he can stay in there. But he can't be hit like he was last night by Deontay Wilder, the WBC champion.

@David Waterworth: Fury underated and Wilder too quick and powerful. Joshua is good but he has to improve a lot to join the greats.

GD: Yes, very good points David. Fury and Wilder both dangerous.  They are going to meet on December the 1st, it seems, in the USA, and Joshua will witness the outcome and hopefully fight the winner back at Wembley Stadium on April 13th, 2019.   

@Steve Coombes: Wilder will not tire so fast and he hits a lot harder than Povetkin. Wilder will probably knock him out and Fury, once he is back to his best, would probably beat him on points.

GD: Good points well made, Steve. But Fury needs to be the Fury who beat Klitschko in 2015. Wilder is dangerous, too. But it's still fascinating and we must see Joshua v Wilder because there are imponderables. Joshua would also fight him differently, I believe.

@Tony Michaels: For a guy who’s had flu for the last week AJ did pretty good.

GD: Yes Tony, you are right, Joshua had flu for the last few days and was not feeling well, but he did not use it as an excuse, though it would have made his body feel lethargic.

@Billy Hodder: Wilder is currently leading Whyte and Fury on Joshua’s twitter poll asking the fans who they want to see AJ face next. But, which one of the three carries the biggest threat for Joshua and which fight is most likely to come to fruition out of the three?

GD: Big question indeed. Most people would like to see Joshua fight Wilder, because it will be so explosive and Wilder is a pure fighter. It would be a thriller, which, at the moment, probably poses the biggest dramatic threat of a KO. Fury would be a fascinating boxing match. Whyte would have plenty of needle. Wilder, Fury, Whyte, for me.

License this content