Outrage greets insinuation that Joshua 'could feature on undercard' in next fight

Former world champion Anthony Joshua is set to return to the ring in December as an undercard is being greeted with outrages.

Negotiations for his blockbuster showdown with Deontay Wilder continue to stall but the Watford powerhouse will take a stay-busy fight in the interim which could reportedly end up on an undercard at the back end of the year.

According to the Sun, AJ's next fight may be included in the Chris Eubank Jr vs Conor Benn bill which is being targeted for December 23 in Abu Dhabi. Hearn has previously mentioned that Joshua could fight on the night touted for Eubank and Benn's long-awaited clash but didn't explicitly state that he would feature on the same card.

That being said, it is unlikely Matchroom Boxing would stage two of their biggest stars on separate shows on the same night. Joshua hasn't fought on an undercard in eight years.

The last time he did, AJ took on durable road warrior Kevin Johnson at the O2 Arena, London in an event topped by Kell Brook vs Frankie Gavin back in May 2015. Fans will be hoping Joshua is matched up in a more competitive fight when he steps between the ropes in December.

Another date that has been floated around by Hearn is December 17 at Wembley Arena. AJ has become accustomed to performing in front of packed-out stadiums when he fights on British soil and so the 10,000-seater is something of a step down from what he is used to.

But the 34-year-old will soon be back in another big stadium extravaganza when fans are finally treated to the sizzling Saudi showdown with Wilder. The bout was recently pushed back to next year after Hearn claimed it was "nailed on" for 2023.