Anthony Joshua’s potential return to the ring in 2025
A decision will be made this week on whether Anthony Joshua will fight in 2025, promoter Eddie Hearn has said, reports BritPanorama.
Joshua has been outside the ring for almost 14 months since he was stunned with a fifth-round stoppage by fellow British heavyweight Daniel Dubois last September. This defeat halted Joshua’s momentum under trainer Ben Davison and his pursuit of another world title opportunity.
Hearn revealed at the grand arrivals for Chris Eubank Jr. vs. Conor Benn II that a tune-up fight is being considered, which could occur before the end of the year. He indicated that a decision would be finalized by the weekend.
He told Sky Sports: “We will make a decision this week in terms of if he will fight this year. We have to decide by this weekend basically. It doesn’t really matter where it is. You won’t know about it until maybe even fight week. Honestly. That’s the whole purpose of it. I think it would be so good for him but bizarre at the same time, because there’s no money in the fight. We’re not going to start using him to sell tickets. Literally he will just pop up on a show. He’s really up for it. I think it would be so good for him. I’d love him to go in there and just smash someone up.”
The British boxing star last fought in September 2024 when he was knocked out by Dubois at Wembley. This defeat ended a run of four straight wins following consecutive losses to Oleksandr Usyk. With old rival Tyson Fury expected to resume his boxing career in 2026, an eagerly anticipated bout with Joshua remains a possibility.
AJ has also been linked to events in Africa in early 2026, with several opponents expressing interest, including Tony Yoka. He could appear on the undercard of Chris Eubank Jr.’s fight against Conor Benn on November 15. However, tight turnaround times might see him feature on the undercard of Diego Pacheco vs. Kevin Lele Sadjo on December 13 in California, or potentially on December 27 in Saudi Arabia, where Naoya Inoue is scheduled to fight.
This would likely mean a less prominent matchup for Joshua, but it marks a significant moment as he looks to resurrect his career. In an arena where stakes are high and expectations monumental, his next move could send ripples through heavyweight boxing once more. The intrigue continues, as fans wait to see if this former champion can silence his critics and reclaim his place at the top of the sport.
