With speculation rife about the next move of former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua, Tony Yoka has told a French publication he could fight the Englishman in Africa in December.
“His team has just left for Ghana to see what the sports facilities are like,” Yoka told L’Equipe. “There’s a possibility that the fight will take place in Africa. A lot of people are talking about it, and it could revive boxing in France.”
Yoka is trained by Don Charles, who guided Daniel Dubois to victory over Joshua in his last fight in September.
Yoka is 14-3 (11 KOs) and the 33-year-old former Olympic gold medal winner, who claimed his gold four years after Joshua won his in London 2012, has won his last three bouts and recently signed with Queensberry Promotions, meaning he shares a streaming platform with the Matchroom-promoted Joshua in DAZN.
Matchroom’s Frank Smith and 258 Management’s Freddie Cunningham, who looks after Joshua’s business affairs, have both posted videos from Accra, Ghana in the last 24 hours on their socials and Joshua has made no secret of his desire to fight in Africa.
However, promoter Eddie Hearn has told media outlets, including Boxing News, that Jake Paul is “the frontrunner” to face Joshua, and – via social media – Andre Ward has declared his interest in fighting the big Londoner.
Joshua, 35, was a guest at the Bukom Boxing Arena in June in Ghana to watch a bill – promoted by Amir Khan and Sharaf Mahama – headlined by Andrew Tabiti that featured Joshua’s fellow Londoner and friend Ohara Davies.
Joshua is 28-4 (25 KOs).
