Anthony Joshua must fight Filip Hrgovic over Tyson Fury-Oleksandr Usyk winner, says Carl Frampton

TNT Sports expert Carl Frampton has advised Anthony Joshua to fight Filip Hrgovic while he’s waiting to take on the winner of the highly-anticipated bout between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk.

Joshua landed a second-round knockout against former MMA fighter Francis Ngannou earlier this month, winning his fourth fight in the past year.

He is still waiting to take on either Fury or Usyk, who will meet for an undisputed heavyweight title fight in May.

The pair agreed to a rematch clause, so Joshua may not get the chance to come up against either for quite some time.

The 34-year-old’s other option is to take on Hrgovic, the mandatory challenger for the IBF heavyweight title.

“If I’m AJ I think I take a Hrgovic fight,” Frampton told TNT Sports.

“I think that Hrgovic is made for AJ. I think that it's a very, very winnable fight for AJ. I’d have him as a strong favourite in that fight.

“It keeps a bit of momentum going while he's waiting. He can’t wait on Usyk and Fury… could be three fights, maybe. So, I think take a fight, and hopefully get the winner after.”

Joshua has beaten Jermaine Franklin, Robert Helenius, Otto Wallin and Ngannou over the past 12 months, resurrecting his career after losses to Usyk in September 2021 and August 2022.

Frampton, a former super-bantamweight and featherweight champion, did not appear worried that Joshua was taking on too many fights.

“I like it,” he said. “I like it. I mean, we complain a lot when fighters aren't that active.

"I think that as long as the fights aren't too hard, which they haven't been, then fight all the time.

“I mean, AJ is someone who, in my mind, is someone who lives in the gym. He's always in the gym. No harm in AJ having four fights a year.”

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