Tuesday 12 April 2016 07:01, UK
Anthony Joshua’s explosive rise to the top of the heavyweight scene will eventually result in him conquering America, promoter Eddie Hearn has claimed.
That means the new IBF world champion's first defence could be against an American in London with a view to building Joshua's Stateside profile before he crosses the Atlantic.
Which American-based contenders could test Joshua next?
A year ago, Philadelphia's Jennings suffered his first pro defeat as he challenged for Wladimir Klitschko's multitude of world titles. He was out-jabbed and heartily beaten but simply lasting 12 rounds ranks as a decent achievement considering the Ukrainian's list of conquests.
A more telling concern would be his subsequent knockout loss to Luis Ortiz, meaning he lost twice in 2015 in his only two forays into world level. Yet with Joshua a newcomer himself to the upper echelons of the sport, the 31-year-old Jennings looks like the sort of beatable but dangerous opponent that would appeal.
Jennings halted Artur Szpilka (Deontay Wilder's most recent opponent) two years ago so he can throw a punch, and Joshua's promoters would lick their lips at where the American is based. All 21 of his fights have taken place on the east coast, with three of the last four in Madison Square Garden. The prospect of Joshua welcoming a New York-based opponent to London, before travelling to return the favour to newly-acquired American fans, is exactly how the IBF champion could be sky-rocketed to superstardom. Make it there, as they say, and you can make it anywhere.
The pot has already begun to stir with Philadelphian veteran Scott, who was a mouthy member of Dillian Whyte's entourage for December's barn-burner against Joshua. Scott piped up at a pre-fight press conference to beckon Joshua, who then rejected the opportunity to shake hands after Whyte was dispatched. The needle is already there - last weekend he tweeted: "I already signed and sent the contract back so lets do it this early summer".
At 35, Scott's bark might be more dangerous than his bite but the rivalry has already been stoked. A plausible London fight could also afford Scott's associate Whyte the chance to rebuild his own hopes of a rematch with Joshua. The best champions are always thinking two fights ahead.
On paper, Scott possesses unquestionable experience at the top level and has strung together consecutive points win over Alex Leapai and Tony Thompson. His punch power has never been particularly concussive but Scott could be the type of wily veteran to steer Joshua out of the early rounds - although he couldn't stand up to Wilder's punches, lasting less than two minutes.
His sole visit to London ended in a stoppage defeat to Dereck Chisora three years ago but the feud that has been quietly brewing with Joshua means a return to our capital is possible.
Perhaps best known as the defeated foe on the night Wilder took his WBC title, Stiverne's efforts in that fight may never be truly understood. He remains the only man to take Wilder the distance in 36 fights, although ultimately it wasn't enough to repel his challenge.
If Stiverne can force America's premier knockout artist Wilder to utilise different tools, what questions would he ask of Joshua? Age is against Stiverne - he is 37, and has boxed just once since January 2015 when he lost to Wilder, getting up off the floor to outpoint journeyman Derric Rossy. But there's a bit of fight left in Stiverne who has already proved he can avoid a knockout against a young, hungry champion with heavy hands, although he has never boxed outside of America and the Caribbean.
He is rated at No 11 by the IBF but Haiti-born Stiverne has considerable pedigree which the organisation may be overlooking. As a former world champion who has tasted Wilder's punches, Stiverne would allow Joshua the opportunity to out-do his fellow world champion from across the pond.
On Behind The Ropes in the build-up to the Martin fight, Joshua gave away a revealing insight into the intelligence behind his fists. He is taking Spanish lessons, it emerged, with a view to appealing to Hispanic sections of the American market in the future. Step forward, Cuba's unbeaten Ortiz.
'The Real King Kong', like Martin before him, is a southpaw but worryingly is an inch shorter than the former IBF champion at 6'3''. Ortiz holds the interim version of the WBA heavyweight title, but isn't recognised in the IBF rankings. At 37, Ortiz was last seen stopping 44-year-old Thompson in December but he isn't ready to permanently retreat to the veterans' circuit yet.
Crucially, Ortiz holds a valuable key to the Spanish-language contingent of the United States that all crossover fighters will encounter somehow. But there are warning signs about his willingness to exert himself beyond the necessary means - Ortiz boasts a reported amateur career of over 300 wins and has forged a 25-0 pro run, of which the highlights are wins against Monte Barrett and Jennings. With the retirement home seemingly in sight and a record that has been nicely padded out by fights in the Bahamas, Panama and the Dominican Republic, would Ortiz be willing to risk it all against a big-punching brute in a faraway land?
There are other ways to immerse yourself in the boxing-crazy Hispanic subculture of the United States, and perhaps none better than fighting Ruiz who might just be Mexico's answer to Joshua.
They are both undefeated by the age of 26 but whether the comparisons end there can only be answered inside the ropes. Ruiz is four inches shorter at 6'2'' and, more pertinently, offers up an eight-inch reach advantage to Joshua which could spell disaster. Ruiz's record offers little comfort that he could cope with a current world champion - he has never been scheduled for a 12-rounder and his most recent win was a decision against Rapahael Zumbano Love, the bizarre Brazilian that Joshua knocked into next week a year ago.
Ruiz, ranked at No 10 by the IBF, is set for another run-out next month. While he possibly isn't up to the task of venturing to London anytime soon, his Mexican heritage and California base would make him an attractive proposition in the future if Joshua wants to venture beyond the traditional routes of the east coast and Las Vegas.
