Anthony Joshua In Talks For Huge Summer Fight Against Unexpected Opponent: “Let’s Roll The Dice”

Anthony Joshua is now slated for a summer ring return.

Joshua was last in action in September when he was stopped inside five rounds by IBF heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium.

All signs then pointed towards ‘AJ’ taking on Tyson Fury in a huge all-British clash after Fury had come up short in his two battles with heavyweight king Oleksandr Usyk.

Those plans were dashed in January when Fury abruptly announced his retirement, leaving Joshua with no clear next opponent.

Promoter Eddie Hearn has now revealed to IFL TV that initial talks are underway for Joshua’s next bout, making the surprise claim that they are speaking about a rematch with Dubois, despite it seeming like ‘DDD’ was all set for an undisputed showdown with Usyk.

“We’re talking to Queensberry about the potential of Dubois-AJ this summer, the rematch. They’re planning Dubois’ next move as well.

“Some brief conversations with His Excellency about AJ against Wilder, the Parker fight could have potential. At this stage why would you roll the dice against Parker for the interim would title when you could roll the dice against Dubois for the full world title?

“I don’t think there’s any difference in those fights really in terms of the toughness of them. I’d go for Dubois every day of the week. If we can’t get Fury, my advice is to fight Dubois for the world title. I think he [AJ] should do it and I think he will beat Dubois.”

As of January, Joshua is ranked number 7 with the IBF. Dubois does not yet have a mandatory challenger. He was set to defend his IBF title against Parker last month but pulled out of the contest on fight week due to a viral infection and replaced by Martin Bakole, with Parker winning that fight by second round knockout.

Dubois has made it clear that he wants a rematch against Usyk with all four heavyweight belts on the line. The Ukrainian is also pushing for the fight, as is Riyadh Season’s Turki Alalshikh.

Anthony Joshua has no interest in facing Joseph Parker again, according to Parker’s promoter David Higgins, who believes the former two-time heavyweight champion sees the Kiwi as too big a risk.

Joshua, who sat ringside as Parker brutally knocked out Martin Bakole, has yet to respond to calls for a rematch.

But Higgins insists Joshua “wouldn’t take the fight”, arguing that Parker’s recent form makes him an extremely dangerous opponent.

“Joe would jump in with AJ in a heartbeat, but I reckon AJ wouldn’t take the fight,” Higgins told Sky Sports.

“I think AJ is a nice guy and he’s had a good career, but in recent times, he hasn’t looked comfortable in the ring, particularly in that last fight. He didn’t want to be there.”

Parker’s Redemption Arc: From 2018 Defeat to Heavyweight Menace

Parker previously lost to Joshua via unanimous decision in 2018, but his career resurgence has been remarkable.

With consecutive wins over Deontay Wilder, Zhilei Zhang, and now Bakole, the former WBO champion has reestablished himself as one of the most dangerous fighters in the division.

Higgins claims Parker’s fearless attitude sets him apart from other heavyweights, including Joshua.

“The way that Joseph is fighting, it would be a very risky call by AJ and his handlers to jump in the ring with Parker.”

“Most boxers take the lower-risk option, except for Joseph Parker. He takes the highest risk and the toughest option.”

“Fight by fight, Joseph is establishing more credibility, more menace. They’ll all be saying, ‘This guy is dangerous,’ and after the other day, ‘He really is dangerous.’”

“Anywhere, it would be ideal in the summer,” Higgins added.

Parker has been named the mandatory challenger for Oleksandr Usyk’s WBO belt, but Usyk is expected to take a rematch with Daniel Dubois before retiring.

Meanwhile, Parker is eager to fight again within four months, with his team waiting on offers from Saudi organizers and Queensberry Promotions.

While Joshua’s next move remains unclear, Parker’s ferocious comeback has positioned him as a major force in the heavyweight division—one that even AJ might be reluctant to face again.

Former British boxer Amir Khan believes Anthony Joshua should forget about a rematch with Daniel Dubois, declaring that ‘AJ’ was right to turn down an immediate return fight after his devastating knockout defeat last September.

Speaking exclusively to Prime Casino, the fan-favourite boxer said Joshua made a brilliant and smart decision by avoiding an immediate rematch with the powerful IBF Champion.

“I don’t think he should have taken that re-match. It’s the best choice he’s made,” Khan said.

Khan was particularly critical of Joshua’s chances against Dubois, describing him as a bogeyman who perfectly exploited the British Nigerian’s fighting style in their previous encounter.

While acknowledging that Joshua might eventually need to confront Dubois, Khan believes his fellow British boxer is currently better served seeking easier opponents that guarantee significant financial rewards.

“I think he made the right choice by not taking it now but in the future it’s still a fight. And even if he never fights him again, he tried, it happened, we’re all prize fighters and at this time he can make money elsewhere with an easier opponent,” he said.

“You always have that one opponent who is always going to be the bogeyman, who is always going to beat the style that AJ has, and I think that is Dubois. He was punch perfect when I saw that fight.”

Anthony Joshua Offered Dangerous Fight That Would Fast Track Him Back To World Title Shot

Anthony Joshua is looking to plot his way back to the top of the heavyweight division one more time.

Joshua has been a huge star on the world scene over the last decade. His journey started soon after winning a gold medal in the London Olympics and he rose quickly through the pro ranks, collecting world honours on the way.

His first title came in 2016 when he beat Charles Martin inside two rounds for the IBF belt, and then unified against Wladimir Klitschko in an epic battle at Wembley Stadium which involved both men being knocked down.

He added the WBO title with a points win in 2018 when he was taken the distance for the first time by Joseph Parker, and since then there have been plenty of ups and downs.

In June 2019 he took his first loss when he was stopped by late stand-in Andy Ruiz, but won the belts back in a rematch later that year.

In 2021 and 2022, he went into back-to-back fights with Oleksandr Usyk and came out with no belts after losing both contests on points.

Following another rebuild he went into another world title shot against Daniel Dubois in September 2024 but was stopped inside five rounds, and is currently on the sidelines waiting to make his next move.

Speaking to The Ariel Helwani Show, it was put to Parker, who is the interim WBO champion, that a Joshua rematch was a good option now given that Usyk and Dubois are likely to pursue an undisputed fight.

“Let’s push for it. I agree. As we focus on my career, I think those three names will be next in line. I think [Joshua] would accept the fight with me. It would be a very different fight to 2018. We’re both older, maturer, wiser. The fighter that I was before, sometimes I look back and go ‘who is that guy?’”

Whoever beats Parker – who recently knocked out late replacement opponent Martin Bakole in two rounds – will become the WBO number one and first in line for a shot against current champion Usyk.

The one fight Joshua and the rest of the boxing world wanted to see was against Tyson Fury, but he retired at the end of January after his own pair of losses to Usyk.

Despite his knockout loss to Daniel Dubois, former two-time world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua has moved two spots up in the latest Ring Magazine heavyweight rankings.

Anthony Joshua last fought in September 2024 at Wembley Stadium, where he suffered a knockout defeat against Dubois.

Meanwhile, Oleksandr Usyk remains in a class of his own above the top 10, while Tyson Fury is ranked No.1 despite announcing his retirement in January.

Fury’s decision came after back-to-back losses to Usyk in 2024, the first defeats of his professional career. However, many in the boxing world doubt his retirement is permanent.

Joshua’s rise in the rankings follows significant shifts in the division. Zhilei Zhang and Martin Bakole suffered defeats in Saudi Arabia on the Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol II undercard.

Zhang was stopped by a devastating body shot from Agit Kabayel in the sixth round of their WBC interim heavyweight clash, while Bakole was knocked out by Joseph Parker after stepping in on two days’ notice as a late replacement for Dubois.

Bakole’s last-minute decision saw him endure a 3,800-mile journey from Congo to Saudi Arabia, taking three connecting flights. His bravery was widely praised, but the defeat cost him his IBF final eliminator status and a drop in the rankings. Previously ranked No.6, Bakole has now dropped to No.7, while Zhang fell from No.4 to No.6.

Kabayel surged to No.4 following his career-best victory, with Anthony Joshua now positioned at No.5 behind the German fighter Zhilei Zhang. Parker and the remaining heavyweights retained their original rankings.

Latest Ring Magazine Heavyweight Rankings:
Tyson Fury
Daniel Dubois
Joseph Parker
Agit Kabayel
Anthony Joshua
Zhilei Zhang
Martin Bakole
Filip Hrgovic
Fabio Wardley
Efe Ajagba