Joshua Eyes May Or June Return – ‘AJ Is Finished’

November 21, 2024

4 months

Joshua Eyes May Or June Return - 'AJ Is Finished'

Eddie Hearn expects Anthony Joshua to return to the ring next May or June, but is he overrated?

Joshua was knocked out in the fifth round by Daniel Dubois in his last fight, as the latter retained his IBF Heavyweight Title. It was a massive setback since Joshua missed out on facing the winner of Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury for the Undisputed Heavyweight Championship. In his post-fight comments, Joshua was adamant that he would not retire from the sport. That has raised speculation over his next opponent. The Dubois rematch has been ruled out, while his next opponent could depend on the result of Usyk vs. Fury.

A victory for Usyk presents an opportunity for Joshua to face Fury but without the prospects of any belts. It is still a big domestic clash, but not as big as it could have been. Meanwhile, a Fury win raises question marks over whether there would be a trilogy with Usyk. A trilogy fight would be the most plausible idea.

It would settle once and for all who is the best heavyweight of this era. At the same time, Joshua has to navigate his career carefully. If a title shot is not forthcoming, he will want the highest-earning fights before he walks away from the sport. Joshua has been criticized for not facing the biggest names on his way to becoming a unified heavyweight champion, as we examine his resume.

Joshau’s Record

Joshua’s biggest wins have an asterisk over them since he faced boxers at the tail end of their careers. He defeated Wladimir Klitschko in 2017 when the latter was 41. This was after Klitschko had been out of the ring for over a year since his Tyson Fury loss. And yet, Joshua had to get off the canvas to get the win as he was on the verge of being stopped. His knockout victory against Alexander Povetkin happened when the Russian was 39.

Joshua has also avoided some of his key rivals despite the calls from the boxing fan base to face them. A fight with Deontay Wilder broke down when it was on the table for the Undisputed Heavyweight Championship. Wilder was the WBC Heavyweight Champion and was considered the most dangerous fighter in the sport. Talks broke down, as Wilder and Joshua would lose their belts. The same goes for the Fury fight. Despite having been linked with the fight, it never got over the line. The two fighters are no longer in their prime, making it a less appealing spectacle.

Hearn On Joshua

Joshua fell short when he stepped up. Andy Ruiz Jr. knocked him out on his American debut at Madison Square Garden. He took the fight on short notice after Jarrell Miller tested positive. As the world had eyes on the Wilder fight, Joshua knew a statement win would help his cause. But he came up short as he buckled under the pressure. Joshua also fell short in the two Oleksandr Usyk fights, as he faced his toughest opponent on paper. He was outboxed in both fights, as he would later throw Usyk’s belts and walk out of the ring in frustration. But Hearn still sees plenty left in Joshua’s career, as he expected him to fight in the summer of next year.