Promoter Eddie Hearn has an ambitious plan for his star heavyweight, even if its feasibility is no sure thing.

The Matchroom head says he believes Anthony Joshua, the former heavyweight champion from London, could have a sterling 2023 if he ends up fighting a combination of Dillian Whyte, Tyson Fury, and Deontay Wilder.

Whyte, Joshua’s countryman and longtime contender, is considered to be the frontrunner to face Joshua in the first quarter of next year; Joshua decisively stopped Whyte back in 2014. However, it could be Michigan’s Jermaine Franklin who ends up fighting Joshua, if Franklin ends up defeating Whyte in their 12-round heavyweight match Saturday night in London.

Joshua was recently in negotiations to fight WBC titlist Fury for a fight in December, but talks eventually unravelled; Fury will face Joshua’s managerial stablemate Derek Chisora Dec. 3 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London.

Joshua has long been floated as a possibility to face former heavyweight titlist Wilder. Hearn said he recently made preliminary contact with Wilder’s handler about fighting in 2023 but serious talks have not occurred.

Joshua’s future has been under much scrutiny, as he is coming off a second consecutive defeat to WBO, IBO, WBA, IBF champion Oleksandr Usyk in August. Joshua has indicated recently that he might change up his training team for his comeback fight, which could affect his

“He wants to fight Dillian Whyte,” Hearn told iD Boxing. “I told Jermaine Franklin, if you win this fight, you will fight AJ, basically, so there’s all the motivation he needs. At the same time, he (Joshua) has a new training team, do they want another fight before he fights Dillian Whyte in the summer?

“To get two of Dillian Whyte, Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder in 2023 would be a great year. To get all three of them would be fantastic, but we won't get carried away just yet. He wants the big fights. He also knows, when we talk about Dillian Whyte’s last phase, AJ’s coming up to that phase as well. He’s got to get it right.”