Anthony Joshua was stunned and dropped last year in a high-stakes clash against Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium. With Dubois holding the IBF heavyweight title, Joshua had the immediate option for a rematch, but opted instead to undergo elbow surgery. Now, uncertainty looms over his return, leaving fans wondering: What’s next for ‘AJ’?

Last month, the former unified heavyweight champion’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, had mentioned a few names for a potential fight for Joshua at the end of 2025. Deontay Wilder was among the names, with the Matchroom boss suggesting that if Wilder beats Tyrrell Herndon, the long-awaited fight could be possible. Although Wilder did win the fight via 7th-round knockout, there’s no update on that potential fight. In the meantime, though, former Disney star Jake Paul called out Anthony Joshua.

“Anthony Joshua is an insane fight, but I want that challenge,” Jake Paul said after defeating Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. last Saturday night in California. “We’ve been DM-ing back and forth. He wants to make it happen. He called me up, and it’s looking very likely for next year.” Since Paul’s callout for the Joshua fight, Eddie Hearn has shared a two-word update on Joshua’s next appearance in the ring. “Back [soon emoji],” Hearn wrote on Instagram while sharing a picture of Joshua and himself on the platform.

Interestingly, though, back in March, Jake Paul made headlines when he called out AJ on his podcast. He later revealed that he had a conversation with Joshua to have a boxing match sometime in 2026. Eddie Hearn also seemed open to the idea, but an exact date for this potential fight is yet to be determined.

Hearn had even suggested previously that he is waiting to see how the Daniel Dubois vs. Oleksandr Usyk fight unfolds on July 19th at Wembley to announce Joshua’s next opponent. Regardless, Anthony Joshua, in the meantime, has explained his absence from boxing, while firing a warning to the heavyweight division.

Anthony Joshua promises to come back with a bang

With the devastating Dubois loss and the nagging elbow injury, Anthony Joshua claims to have taken a break to recover and reflect on his career. Speaking at a Matchroom Boxing event in London, the former two-time unified heavyweight champion revealed, “I took a year out to get my body right. I’m at a different stage of my career. I can look at time differently.” 

“I haven’t got all these years in front of me, so I’ve got to make an executive decision over what I do next,” he added. The Brit refused to name a future opponent, but made his intentions for his return clear. “When I come back, I’m coming back with a bang,” he declared. “Not just going through the motions… I’ll be fully active and ready to go, take the division by storm.”

Despite Eddie Hearn’s update so close to Jake Paul’s callout, it remains to be seen whether Anthony Joshua fights Jake Paul next. It’s possible that Joshua takes on Deontay Wilder first this year and faces Jake Paul in 2026, which aligns with Paul’s claims. Who do you think ‘AJ’ will fight next?