The Brit is on the hunt for a replacement fighter to take on in New York in less than five weeks’ time.
Joshua had been set to trade blows with Jarrell Miller, but ‘Big Baby’ has failed several drug tests and the American is now off of the Madison Square Garden bill.
One of the most high-profile names to step in for Miller is Luis Ortiz, whose team have caused confusion with their public comments about a bout.
The Cuban heavyweight’s manager Jay Jimenez claimed that Joshua’s promoter Hearn had only put “low-ball” offers on the table.
But Ortiz’s trainer, Herman Caicedo, insists there has been a mix-up and that ‘King Kong’ would be willing to put pen-to-paper to take on Joshua.
Hearn has claimed that he has offered in excess of £5million for Ortiz to step in and replace Miller, with Jimenez recently admitting that it was not offers from Joshua’s team that were low but rather the promoters of Ortiz that were pulling for more money.
It appears that the three most likely fighters to be announced as Joshua’s next opponent are between Michael Hunter, Andy Ruiz Jr and Trevor Bryan.
But Hearn insists that if Ortiz wants to take to the ring to face unified champion Joshua at a later date then that can be arranged.
Hearn told reporters: “Is Ortiz the bogeyman?
“Joshua would destroy Ortiz. Three rounds, no problem.
“I tell you what, if Luis Ortiz wants to do it after June 1, no problem, we’ll sign a contract to do that as well.”
Boxing fans had been hoping that Joshua would face WBC champion Deontay Wilder later in 2019 or early in 2020 in a super-fight that would put all four major belts on the line.
But it has been claimed that after Wilder faces Dominic Breazeale on May 18, the unbeaten Alabama fighter will then face Adam Kownacki and Ortiz in a rematch.
Addressing claims that Ortiz has been offered in excess of £5m to face Wilder again, Hearn joked from The Forum in California: “Well if he is, f***ng congratulations my friend. And also I’ve just seen a pig fly across The Forum, it was unbelievable!
“I’ll tell you next week what Luis Ortiz was offered for that fight.
“I better hope for Ortiz’s sake, and his kids and their kids’ sake that it was as much money as they’re going to get for this supposed Wilder fight.”