Former unified heavyweight champion, Anthony Joshua is edging closer to a return to the ring, with negotiations reportedly advancing for a two-fight deal likely to kick off later this year in Saudi Arabia.
The 35-year-old Briton has been sidelined throughout 2024 due to elbow surgery, which was successfully completed in May.
Despite his absence from active competition, Joshua has been quietly plotting his return, with increasing momentum around a comeback as part of Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh Season.
Speaking earlier this month to ESPN Mexico, Joshua disclosed he was targeting a December return, subject to his recovery timeline.
While initial reports from NoSmoke Sport suggested a three-fight contract was on the table, Joshua’s long-time promoter Eddie Hearn denied the claim.
“That’s not true,” Hearn told Boxing Scene.
“We are actually discussing a two-fight deal with Riyadh Season. Turki Alalshikh said that on the night of Canelo’s fight on May 3, when we had our meeting. “
“And that’s the plan really — we want to box sometime this year, October, November, December.”
Joshua last fought in 2023, when he suffered a fifth-round knockout loss to fellow Briton Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium.
Dubois is now lined up for a title shot against Oleksandr Usyk, the reigning unified heavyweight champion, in another Wembley showdown.
Hearn confirmed that Joshua’s team is closely monitoring developments in both the Dubois-Usyk bout and the uncertain future of Tyson Fury.
“We’ll see what happens with Dubois-Usyk, we’ll see what happens with Fury,” Hearn said.
“And if we don’t fight those guys, we’ll fight someone else, and then maybe follow one of those guys next year.”
As speculation swirled over a potential return for Tyson Fury, the former WBC champion firmly quashed the rumours in a video message:
“I hear a lot of talk about the Gypsy King returning to boxing and I ask this question: for what? What would I return for?” Fury said.
“I’m in no rush at all to come back to boxing and get my face punched in.”
“I am retired and I am staying retired. I have nothing to prove to anybody and nothing to return for.”
Joshua’s return to the ring might be a chapter in the veteran fighter’s career to seek and reclaim his place among the elite in the heavyweight division
