The Matchroom promoter has been left scrambling to arrange a new opponent for the heavyweight champion following the shock news that Jarrell Miller tested positive for a banned substance.
The American’s A sample earlier this month was found to contain GW1516 – better known as Cardarine or Endurobol – and sees his involvement in the Madison Square Garden ranked as massively unlikely.
Miller is awaiting results of his B sample and is desperate to challenge the New York State Athletic Commission’s ruling, having repeatedly protested his innocence despite a nine-month ban five years ago when he fought as a kick boxer.
Hearn is therefore looking around for candidates to step in and face Joshua – who holds the IBF, WBA and WBO belts – in New York with ‘Big Baby’ unexpected to be able to clear his name.
While the Brit has been turned down by several heavyweights, Hearn has revealed that David Haye has been on the phone to discuss the possibility of Joshua facing Chisora.
‘War’ Chisora faces Senad Gashi at the O2 this Saturday and Hearn insists Joshua’s compatriot must get through that bout first before moving on to the 29-year-old.
Speaking to iFLTV, Hearn revealed: “David Haye phoned me and said, ‘What do you think?’. I went, ‘What?’ and he went, ‘Chisora, June 1.’
“I said, ‘What on the undercard?’ and he went, ‘No, fighting AJ.’
“I was like, ‘Dunno, get through Gashi.’ But he’s going to be calling him out.”
Though Chisora is one of few heavyweights said to be keen to step in, Hearn insists he would rather the 29-0-9 veteran was involved at MSG but not as part of the headline bout.
And the 39-year-old would like to see the Finchley fighter take on ex-WBO title-holder Joseph Parker, who has lost to Joshua and Dillian Whyte in two of his last three scraps.
Hearn added: “I would like to make Chisora on the undercard, now, of Joshua. I’d love to do the Parker fight.”
Joshua’s promoter, meanwhile, insists an opponent to fill the void and replace Miller in two months’ time is drawing near.
He told Sky Sports News: “Obviously it’s a fight in America, so from our point of view, we would like an American challenger really. I don’t think it will be Dillian Whyte.
“You go through the list: Luis Ortiz; Adam Kownacki; Michael Hunter; Manuel Charr; Agit Kabayel, the European champion who beat Derek Chisora.
“There’s probably seven or eight guys I think would fit the bill. Being an American debut, in an ideal world we would like it to be an American, or someone that fights in America.
“We’re going through that and we’re going to be working hard in the next couple of days. There will be an announcement from us in the early part of next week, locking in Anthony Joshua’s next opponent.”