Anthony Joshua’s Illustrious Career Nears Its Final Chapter, Says Eddie Hearn
Anthony Joshua’s career may be nearing its final chapter, with his promoter Eddie Hearn revealing that the boxer could have anywhere between one and three fights left. The Watford powerhouse hasn’t stepped between the ropes since suffering a fifth-round knockout loss to Daniel Dubois in September.
According to talksport.com, Joshua was initially planning to return to the ring in May or June; however, an undisclosed upper body injury means he is yet to restart training properly. As a result, Joshua’s handlers are unable to pin down an exact date for his comeback.
“The next decision is really important, he’s got anywhere between one and three fights left,” Hearn told the Independent, as reported by talksport.com. “We’ve got to get it right, but he is 100 per cent fighting this year. He is definitely fighting in 2025, when I don’t really know because he’s probably got about two weeks before we can go back to training and start punching properly. That’s been the problem for him, but once he does that we can start thinking about a realistic date.”
Hearn also mentioned that a potential fight against Tyson Fury would be a dream scenario, but they cannot operate on that basis. “Obviously, in a dream scenario, Mr [Tyson] Fury just wakes up one morning and goes, ‘Yeah, we’ll give everyone the biggest fight in boxing.’ Probably calls AJ and then they get a deal done on the phone, in five minutes,” he said, as quoted by talksport.com. “But, we can’t operate on that basis, so right now we are just looking to meet up in a couple of weeks and go through the options.”
If Joshua returns to full training in May, then Hearn affirms that a fight in August or September is realistic. Recently retired Tyson Fury remains the main target, although the former two-time heavyweight champion is not short of options. talksport.com previously reported that Joseph Parker, Deontay Wilder, Martin Bakole, Agit Kabayel, and Dubois also remain outsiders to box Joshua next.
Speaking exclusively to talksport.com, Hearn said: “Daniel Dubois still [is the back up]. In an ideal world, he will fight Fury, if not Dubois. There is also Joseph Parker, who I think would be a great fight, there is Agit Kabayel and Deontay Wilder, obviously, His Excellency (Alalshikh) has stated he would love to see that fight. We will have to see, but really the talks are imminent with AJ now to lock in that opponent for the summer.”
The potential opponents for Joshua’s next fight are numerous, and it will be interesting to see who he ultimately faces. One thing is certain, however, Joshua’s career is nearing its final chapter, and Hearn is keen to ensure that his next few fights are the right ones. As talksport.com reported, Hearn previously stated that Joshua’s next decision is crucial, and they will have to get it right.
As the boxing world waits with bated breath for Joshua’s next move, one thing is certain – his next fight will be a significant one. Will he face Tyson Fury, Daniel Dubois, or one of the other potential opponents? Only time will tell, but talksport.com will be keeping a close eye on developments.
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