Former two-time heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua is ready to return to action with six potential opponents lined up for his next fight, according to his promoter Eddie Hearn, The PUNCH reports.
Speaking to iFL TV, Hearn dismissed reports that Joshua had already signed to face either Martin Bakole or Deontay Wilder in his comeback fight.
“Loads of people were sending it to me, including the media saying, ‘is Bakole-AJ signed?’ And I’m like, ‘Signed? We haven’t even had one conversation about it.’ Then I saw Wilder against AJ was signed for June 7. Not even had one conversation about it,” Hearn said.
“I spoke to AJ yesterday, for the first time in, I dunno a couple of weeks. And he’s ready to start camp, pretty much. We’re going to chat, probably next week, particularly after February 22 and we’re going to choose the next opponent.”
The British-Nigerian boxer has been inactive since his fifth-round knockout loss to IBF world champion Daniel Dubois last September, having initially targeted a showdown with Tyson Fury before the latter announced his retirement at the start of 2025.
Boxing journalist Gareth A Davis recently revealed that Joshua’s team had not engaged in any conversations regarding a potential bout with Bakole, despite claims from the Congolese boxer’s promoter, Ben-Shalom, that the deal was “done” for a fight in Congo.
“I’m hearing from Anthony Joshua’s side there hasn’t even been a conversation. Maybe this is Bakole and his team trying to speak the fight into reality,” Davis told BoxNation.
Among the potential opponents for Joshua’s return is the winner of the IBF title fight between champion Dubois and Joseph Parker, scheduled for February 22 in Saudi Arabia, as well as the victor of the WBC interim title clash between Zhilei Zhang and Agit Kabayel on the same night.
Joshua, who has earned over $200m in his career, including $75m from fights in 2024 alone, still has one fight remaining on his lucrative Riyadh Season contract.
“Parker-Dubois winner, Zhang-Kabayel winner, I think could be an option,” Hearn added. “Fury and Dubois are still obviously the two AJ most wants to fight. But he doesn’t have a problem fighting any of them. Honestly, he couldn’t care less. He’ll fight anyone, he’s always been that way.”
Matchroom CEO Frank Smith recently told BetFred that Joshua is expected to return to the ring in the summer, while his team continues to explore various options for his comeback fight.