Anthony Joshua is being lined up for a sensational return to the ring before the end of 2025. However, the former two-time world heavyweight champion won’t be the headline attraction on his comeback.
‘AJ’ last competed in September 2024, when he faced Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium in London for the IBF Heavyweight Championship. The bout ended in disappointing fashion for the Londoner, as he was brutally stopped in the fifth round.
Joshua had hoped to make his comeback far sooner, but found himself sidelined due to an elbow injury that required surgical intervention. While the procedure, which took place in June, was relatively minor, the 36-year-old had emphasised the importance of “getting my body right” before considering his return bout.
Given the length of time that he has been away from the sport, most observers expected the Watford-born fighter to wait until 2026 to step back between the ropes. His promoter, Eddie Hearn, though, has revealed that plans are in the works for his most high-profile client to compete next month.
Speaking about Joshua’s future with Boxing Social, the Matchroom boss declared, “There will be no big-name fight this year.” He then went on to mention that the heavyweight could return to action in Accra, Ghana, on the 20th of December, appearing on the undercard of an event headlined by Craig Richards vs. Dan Azeez.
“It wouldn’t be a headline, it wouldn’t be a pay-per-view, you don’t have to moan about it, it can just be part of something that already exists and is on sale, so there would be no one moaning. It’s just part of the development of getting into a position of being 100% ready for the big gamble.”
Hearn continued: “He [Joshua] won’t headline. We want to work almost in silence and improve, and get into the mode of being 100% ready. This is about development and a bit of activity. It’s not about the money, it’s working on things.”
A major stumbling block to Joshua fighting on African soil could come in the form of social media superstar Jake Paul. ‘The Problem Child’ is searching for a big-name opponent after his planned fight with Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis was scrapped. According to Hearn, there have already been talks over a potential fight.
“I think Jake and AJ have spoken as well,” Hearn told The Flash Knockdown. “From our point of view, if we’re going to have a run-out fight, why not run out against Jake Paul for a lot of money? There are ongoing conversations there. I can’t tell you it’s close, I can’t tell you we’ve seen a contract. But if he genuinely wants to fight Anthony Joshua, I don’t see why we wouldn’t have a chance to do that fight.”
Joshua has long been considered one of the top heavyweights in the sport, and his upcoming return will be closely watched following his disappointing setback against Dubois. The Brit holds a professional record of 28 wins with just four losses, having notched notable victories over the likes of Francis Ngannou, Joseph Parker, and Dillian Whyte.
Despite his recent struggles, Joshua’s focus reportedly firmly remains on winning the world heavyweight title for a third time. He could begin his road to that goal sooner rather than later if Hearn’s plan becomes a reality.
