Anthony Joshua Could Return to the Ring Before Year’s End – Says Eddie Hearn

Former two-time world heavyweight champion, Anthony Joshua, may make a surprise return to the ring before the end of the year, according to his promoter, Eddie Hearn, who rated the chances of a comeback at “50-50.”

Joshua has not fought since suffering a knockout loss to Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium in September 2024 — a setback that, coupled with over a year of inactivity, saw him dropped from The Ring magazine’s heavyweight rankings.

Speaking to The Ring, Hearn revealed that the 36-year-old could feature on Matchroom’s December 13 show in Stockton, California, or possibly on the December 27 “Night of the Samurai” card headlined by Naoya Inoue.

> “I think it’s probably 50-50 that he will fight again this year,” Hearn said. “It’s not really about the money or commercial side this time — it just makes sense from a boxing perspective. Every time Joshua fights, it’s a massive event in a big stadium, but going on an undercard could help him get back into rhythm, and that would be great for his career.”

Hearn added that Joshua has remained active in training and could be ready to fight on short notice. “He even asked if he could box on one of our Mexico shows,” Hearn revealed. “I told him, ‘Mate, I can’t exactly hide you walking around Tijuana.’ But we’ve got the December 13 show in California, maybe even one in November.”

The promoter believes that a lower-profile fight could help Joshua regain confidence ahead of a major 2026 campaign.

Earlier in the year, Joshua’s team explored a potential matchup with Jake Paul, but the American’s decision to fight Gervonta Davis left those plans uncertain.

The London-born Nigerian, who holds a professional record of 28 wins (25 by knockout) and 4 losses, has not fought in a bout scheduled for fewer than 12 rounds in more than a decade. His last victory came in December 2023, when he stopped Otto Wallin in a high-profile event.

There is also growing optimism that Tyson Fury might come out of retirement to finally face Joshua in 2026, while talks have surfaced about a potential bout in Ghana as early as February.