Malik Scott, trainer for heavyweight contender Gerald Washington, says the boxer is ready and willing to fight Anthony Joshua on Saturday night at the O2 Arena in London.
Joshua was scheduled to face Dillian Whyte in a rematch, but on Saturday it was revealed by Eddie Hearn that Whyte was pulled from the fight after testing positive for a banned substance in a drug test administered by VADA.
Scott is also the head trainer of former WBC world champion Deontay Wilder.
Provided Joshua wins this coming weekend, he is expected to fight Wilder in early 2024.
Back in 2017, Washington squared off with Wilder in the ring. He did well in the first four rounds, before Wilder knocked him out in the fifth.
Washington is already scheduled to appear on the undercard, in a fight with London heavyweight veteran Derek Chisora.
He is very familiar with Joshua as the two have sparred in the past.
Scott explains why Washington would make perfect sense as a last-minute replacement.
“This is an opportunity we would love to take full advantage of,” Scott told Sky Sports.
“Myself and Gerald have been working for a year straight together, traveling to different camps, polishing up his style, teaching him different dynamics, sparring with the likes of Deontay [Wilder], [Oleksandr] Usyk, so many young undefeated heavyweights and Gerald did more than hold his own at these levels.
“Also Gerald has sparred AJ before and gave him some solid work. We were coming to defeat Chisora but we would be more than happy to get bumped up to the main event and give Joshua the straightening. If we don’t get the main event spot [with Washington], then I’m looking forward to seeing AJ against Wilder in January.”