‘I always said’ – Anthony Joshua retirement U-turn made by Eddie Hearn after delayed comeback
Anthony Joshua’s boxing career is expected to go on longer than Eddie Hearn had initially anticipated.
Earlier this year, AJ’s long-time promoter declared that the Watford powerhouse would hang up his gloves by the end of 2026.
However, Hearn now believes Joshua will continue competing until 2027 following a frustrating last 12 months.
Joshua hasn’t set foot in the ring since his devastating knockout loss to Daniel Dubois last September.
A lingering elbow injury, which later required surgery, kept him sidelined for a lengthy stretch.
But the two-time world heavyweight champion is now back in training with a view to returning to the ring in early 2026.
Asked how much longer boxing fans will be treated to Joshua, Hearn told Sky Sports: “It depends on the performance.
“I always said that 2026 would likely be his last year in the sport.
“But now with the delayed comeback, probably [could go until] 2027.
“If he was to get beaten in his next fight, that would probably be it, because that’s a fight that he’s expected to win.
“Then if it’s Tyson Fury or Oleksandr Usyk, Dubois, whoever it is. Any defeat it’s going to really make you consider your position.
“He wants to fight in big fights, but he just wants to make sure that he’s ready for those big fights when they come.”
Who will Anthony Joshua face in his comeback?
Joshua’s next fight is expected to fall in January or early February against a ‘carefully’ selected opponent.
Defeat at this stage in the 35-year-old’s career would be catastrophic and would surely spell an end to all hopes of a long-awaited all-British showdown with Fury.
Fellow Olympic gold medallist Tony Yoka has been linked with a fight against Joshua, but no official discussions have taken place.
Meanwhile, YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul is also a low-risk, high-reward option – at least monetarily.
Although it is hard to believe, there have been genuine discussions between both camps for a date in 2026, and all indications point towards ‘The Problem Child’ being Joshua’s next dance partner at the time of writing.
