Frank Smith disregards Joshua – Makhmudov after Allen wins

Matchroom CEO Frank Smith ruled a fight between Anthony Joshua and Arslanbek Makhmudov happening following the big beat of Russia Dave Allen last Saturday night in Sheffield, England.

(Credit: Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing)

“AJ is on his own path” – what does that mean

Smith said that Tyson Fury was one of the names spoken of for Joshua (28-4, 25 kos) to fight in 2026. Although he did not mention Jake Paul, he is clearly the other. That fighting may be even more than Joshua vs Fury’s fight, because Jake has a much bigger sequence on social media than the aging 37 -year -old rabies.

What Frank doesn’t say is that Makmudov (21-2, 19 ko) is too dangerous for Joshua. Some of the shots the Big 6’5 1/2 ″ Russian would hit Allen with them caused AJ much trouble.

Makhmudov was still throwing with a huge power in the 11th and 12th rounds in his unanimous twelve round victory over ‘The White Rhino’ Allen last Saturday night. The perception when entering the fighting was that Arslanbek would be tired in the later rounds, lose power, and become vulnerable.

Punch AJ’s resistance question

That did not happen largely. He was still hitting just as hard in round 12 as he was in the first three rounds. If Joshua is hit with the types of shots that Allen made, he would be bad for him. That would be a re -beat AJ in a row, and would mess up the money fighting against Jake Paul and Fury.

“Everyone wants to fight AJ. We’ll work with, obviously, Arslanbek, going forward on fighting, but everyone wants to fight AJ,” Matchroom CEO Frank Smith said Boxing King MediaResponding to finding out that Arslanbek Makhmudov said he wants to fight Anthony Joshua next, following his victory over Dave Allen last Saturday night.

Why Matchroom will not jeopardize Joshua now

It is understandable why Smith would not want Joshua to get anywhere close to a fighter like Makhmudov. It’s too powerful and all wrong for him. At this stage of AJ’s career, with his punch resistance looks disappeared, he is better off fighting slappers like Fury or Otto Wallin. Jake is right because he’s so much less, and the huge purse Joshua gets would help cushion of the shot of him possibly missed.

Fury 2026: Hold the big one for a game room

“Of course they do. Everybody looks at it as their huge opportunity, but AJ is also on his own path In terms of what he wants to do. Fury Fighting (Tyson) is a battle that has been spoken for a lot in 2026. Let’s see how things play out, ”said Smith.

There, Smith says Makhmudov is not in Joshua’s plans. He did not point out who, apart from Jake Paul, he will match Joshua if they fail to fight the Fury. ‘The Gypsy King’ is rich beyond belief, with a huge fortune estimated in $ 160 million. He may not want to come out of his noble manor in Morecambe to return to the hard life of a boxer, going to war with a hard phuncher like Joshua.

If Tyson had a little punching power like Makhmudov, we can see him return to the ring. But he cannot punch, and he would be forced to go 12 rounds to defeat Joshua. That’s hard work for anyone, especially a catchy fighter carrying about 20+ pounds of excess weight around its hub.

Bakole mentioned – but no payday like Joshua

“He can get the big fighting,” said Smith when asked what Makhmudov can do now. “He is now in that position with victory in an atmosphere in a night like that in a performance like that. Can fight against bakole, ” Smith says for an option for Arslanbek.

Somehow, I don’t see Makhmudov excited about fighting against Martin Bakole as a new option for having the Mega-Million payday fighting against Joshua. The money he would get in fighting against Bakole would not be close to what he would receive facing AJ.

Since 2015, Olly Campbell has brought a clear perspective on either side of readers and a consistent voice on the largest boxing evenings.