Anthony Joshua's Top 5 Potential Opponents After Jake Paul Knockout

Despite the dominant victory, Anthony Joshua emerged from the fight with mixed feelings. In a post-fight press conference, the former champion expressed dissatisfaction with his own performance.

 "I needed to do better," Joshua said. "It’s a win, but it’s not a success. I think my coach expects more from me, and I expect more from myself.” 

We rank the top five opponents who represent the most compelling, competitive, and high-stakes challenges for “AJ” in 2026 and beyond.

Top 5 Potential Opponents for Anthony Joshua

5. Deontay Wilder: Pure Fireworks

For pure, fan-friendly drama, a showdown with Deontay Wilder is a tantalizing option. Both men possess fight-ending one-punch power, and a bout between them is almost guaranteed not to go the distance. Wilder, a former Olympic medalist like Joshua, has experienced a career slump lately, losing to Joseph Parker and Zhang Zhilei before securing a comeback win over Tyrrell Anthony Herndon.  

This fight carries significant risk for Joshua, however, as a loss would derail any momentum he is currently riding. In addition, the possibility of this fight could be slim as Wilder has revealed that he is currently in negotiations to fight Oleksandr Usyk. A dominant victory, though, would be a massive statement for either fighter, silencing their respective doubters and solidifying their position as the division's most dangerous puncher.

4. Fabio Wardley: New Blood

The newly crowned WBO world heavyweight champion, Fabio Wardley, offers a high-risk yet high-reward matchup. In terms of pure merit and credibility, a fight with Wardley is the path to achieving his stated aim of becoming a three-time world champion. It offers a serious, legacy-defining contest against a surging, undefeated British rival who earned his title with a dramatic knockout victory over former champion Joseph Parker.

A win over Wardley would instantly return Joshua to the top of the sport with a legitimate championship belt, reframing the Jake Paul bout as a mere glorified sparring match and providing the leverage and relevance needed for an even bigger showdown with Fury later in the year.

3. Andy Ruiz Junior: Trilogy Bout

Ruiz was the first man to hand Joshua a loss as a pro when they first fought in Jun. 2019. Joshua was able to learn from his mistakes and redeem himself in the Dec. 2019 rematch with a unanimous decision win.

This potential fight comes with its own built-in narrative as a trilogy bout, but it also gives Joshua a relatively winnable matchup, mainly due to Ruiz’s lack of activity. This fight could also help Joshua build upon his momentum with new American fans, due to Ruiz having a large Mexican-American fanbase. 

2. Daniel Dubois: Unfinished Business

While Joshua has been linked to big-name legends, one of the most logical and immediate challenges, in my opinion, comes from the man who defeated him in his last fight before the Paul bout. Dubois, who lost this year via knockout to Oleksandr Usyk, is still young, powerful, and holds a psychological edge after his knockout victory in 2024.

The two British stars could fight for the right to face Fury or Usyk, though it may be more difficult for both men to challenge the latter, given that both have gone 0-2 against the Ukrainian. For Joshua specifically, this rematch is about redemption, in addition to being his clearest route back to the very top of the division’s rankings. 

1. Tyson Fury: Legacy Mega-Fight

This is the fight every British fan has demanded for nearly a decade. Even after his knockout of Paul, Joshua's sights were set on his longtime rival. 

Immediately after his win over Jake Paul, Joshua called Fury out in his post-fight interview:

Despite Fury's retirement announcement, the allure of an all-British showdown for the lineal championship at Wembley Stadium, with unprecedented financial rewards, could be a powerful lure. Making this fight is the single greatest achievement promoters could deliver, and could define the legacy of both men.