Anthony Joshua Returns to Training, May Fight in July
Anthony Joshua could make his return to the ring in July, according to Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn.
The former two-time unified world heavyweight champion was involved in a car accident in December that left two of his close friends dead.
Joshua did not suffer severe injuries, but it was unclear if and when he would compete again.
Hearn has now revealed that the 36-year-old, who most recently fought Jake Paul in Miami, could be back in the ring this summer.
“I’m looking at options to get him back in the ring in July,” Hearn told the press in Nottingham on Thursday. “We’ll only know if that’s a real possibility when he returns to camp.”
Hearn also outlined plans for Joshua’s next opponents amid ongoing talk of a fight with Tyson Fury, who came out of retirement again last month.
“Originally, the plan for AJ was for him to fight in March and then fight Tyson Fury in August. That’s not happening,” Hearn said.
“He’s not fighting Tyson Fury next. He’s going to come back, I believe, late summer, but physically he’s not yet in a position to return to camp. I’m planning, but he’s just resting and preparing.”
Hearn added that Joshua’s return to camp “will hopefully be in the next couple of weeks or a month”.
On a potential date for the Fury fight, he said: “I think every fight is dangerous, coming off what he’s come off. We’re open to the Fury fight but probably more likely [near the] end of the year, maybe early 2027.”
Fury, meanwhile, has said Joshua’s accident in Nigeria was a factor in his decision to come out of retirement, with The Gypsy King set to fight Arslanbek Makhmudov on April 11.
“The biggest turning point in this comeback for me was a tragedy that happened with Anthony Joshua,” revealed Fury.
“I was on holiday with my family in Thailand for Christmas, then I hear all that bad news that’s gone on, and I thought life is very, very short and very precious and very fragile and anything can happen at any given moment.
“You should never put things off until tomorrow or next year or next week, because tomorrow is never promised to nobody.
“The Bible says ‘Tomorrow is not a gift, tomorrow ain’t promised, tomorrow is a mystery’. So we have to live for today.
“I made my mind up there and then that I’m going to come back to boxing because it’s something that I love, and I’m passionate about, and I’ve always been in love with, and there is no tomorrow to put it off too, so that’s why I’m back today for this big fight.”
