JAKARTA - Former world heavyweight champion and 2012 Olympic gold medalist Anthony Joshua is targeting a return to the ring in July 2026 after surviving a fatal car accident in Nigeria in December 2025.
Eddie Hearn as the promoter of the fighter said that his client is currently preparing to return to the training camp and will not fight his compatriot Tyson Fury when he returns.
"He was supposed to fight in March 2026, then face Tyson Fury. That's not going to happen for now. He's not going to fight Tyson Fury (in the fight)," Hearn said as quoted by Sky Sports.
Joshua's future in boxing has been a mystery after the accident that claimed the lives of two close friends, Sina Ghami and Latif Ayodele. It happened after he won a knockout (KO) over Jake Paul, a YouTube star who has just entered the world of professional boxing.
Joshua only suffered minor injuries in the accident. However, losing two close friends who witnessed the success of his career made many people doubt he could be strong enough to return to the ring.
Hearn said that so far there is no definite plan for Joshua's next fight. He emphasized that his client was not physically ready to return, but July 2026 was considered the right time.
"I haven't spoken in depth with Anthony until he returns to training camp and hopefully that will happen in the next few weeks," he said.
On the other hand, Fury is currently preparing to face Arslanbek Makhmudov at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, on April 11, 2026. It is his first fight since losing in a rematch against Oleksandr Usyk in December 2024.
The fighter nicknamed the Gypsy King had decided to retire after that and insisted he would not return to fight. However, earlier this year he surprisingly announced that he would return to the ring.
Fury revealed that the tragedy that befell Joshua was the turning point he made the decision to return. He judged how fragile life is so there is no need to delay things.
"Tomorrow may never come. Life is very short, precious, and fragile. There is no guarantee of tomorrow. So, I decided to return to boxing because I love it," said Fury.
Plans to pit Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury in the ring have been repeatedly floated, but have always fallen through. Their duel will be the decider of who is the best heavyweight in Great Britain.
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