Sports

Eddie Hearn Confirms Anthony Joshua’s Comeback In 2025

Published

6 hours ago

Dec 1, 2024.

Dennis

Anthony Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, has confirmed that the former two-time heavyweight champion is set to make his long-awaited return to the ring in 2025.

The announcement follows Joshua’s crushing defeat to Daniel Dubois, which significantly impacted his pursuit of regaining his status as a dominant force in boxing. At 35, Joshua finds himself at a critical juncture in his career, with many speculating that the loss could mark the end of his professional journey. However, Hearn dismissed any retirement talk, stating that the British-Nigerian boxer remains fully committed to continuing his career.

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“Anthony loves boxing; he’d fight forever if he could,” Hearn remarked.

Joshua entered 2023 with renewed determination, securing four straight victories and appearing ready to challenge for heavyweight supremacy. But his loss to Dubois in March 2024, following a previous win over Francis Ngannou, derailed his comeback. Hearn acknowledged that Joshua now needs time to regroup both mentally and physically. “After fighting four times in less than a year, Anthony needs to recharge. He’ll resume camp in January 2025, which sets him up perfectly for an April or May return to action,” he explained.

Hearn emphasized that Joshua’s return will not involve any tune-up fights. “At this stage in his career, Anthony doesn’t need warm-ups,” Hearn said.

“He’s going straight in. There’s no appeal in smaller fights; it’s about making the big ones happen.”

This strategy marks a departure from Joshua’s previous rebuilding phase after losses to Oleksandr Usyk in 2021 and 2022, during which he fought lower-ranked opponents to regain confidence. Now, with time running out, Hearn believes Joshua must focus on only the marquee matchups.