Anthony Joshua is plotting his return to the boxing ring after a lengthy layoff since his last fight, where he suffered a knockout defeat to Daniel Dubois in September 2024, with speculation swirling around a long-awaited showdown with Deontay Wilder.
Now in the twilight of his career, the former two-time world heavyweight champion has experienced a turbulent few years. Anthony Joshua lost his titles to Oleksandr Usyk in 2021 and failed to reclaim them in the rematch the following year.
Since then, Joshua bounced back with solid performances—outpointing Jermaine Franklin, before scoring emphatic stoppages over Robert Helenius, Otto Wallin, and Francis Ngannou.
However, in his last outing against IBF champion Daniel Dubois, Joshua suffered a first-round knockdown and was eventually stopped in the fifth round. He has since been recovering from a minor injury.
Wilder’s fight still on the table
One clash fans have long craved is between Joshua and Wilder. While both men are past their peak, the allure of the matchup remains strong.
Wilder, who lost twice to Tyson Fury in their legendary trilogy, has struggled for consistency. His recent defeats include a decision loss to Joseph Parker and a fifth-round knockout by Zhilei Zhang in June.
Now preparing for his return against Tyrrell Herndon on June 27, Wilder’s team has reignited talk of a potential mega-fight with Joshua.
“It would be a big, big fight still,” Wilder’s manager Shelly Finkel told Sun Sport.
“Maybe not quite as big as it was five years ago, but it’s still enormous. It’s like Mayweather vs Pacquiao—not at its peak, but still pretty damn big.”
Finkel also floated other possible opponents, including Ngannou, but emphasized that a late 2025 or early 2026 clash with Joshua remains firmly on the table.
“Deontay could fight again after June and go right into Joshua by the end of the year or early next year. I believe that’s a Wembley card, so we’ll see.”
With both fighters chasing a final legacy-defining moment, fans may finally witness Joshua vs. Wilder before the curtain falls on two explosive careers.
