Anthony Joshua’s 32nd professional bout ended in his fourth career defeat, this time at the hands of the heavy-hitting Daniel Dubois. The knockout specialist sent Anthony Joshua to the canvas four times, once in the 1st, 3rd, 4th, and 5th rounds, ultimately sealing the victory in the fifth at Wembley Stadium this September. Following the event, the 35-year-old has been out of action due to an elbow injury that kept him from competing this summer. He recently had successful surgery, enabling his promoter, Eddie Hearn, to advance plans for his eventual comeback. Nonetheless, with rehabilitation anticipated to last up to two months, AJ’s comeback to training is still postponed.

Once fully recovered, Anthony Joshua will be looking forward to make his comeback this year itself. And, one matchup British fans still crave is a long-anticipated showdown with former two-time world champion Tyson Fury, despite Fury announcing his retirement earlier this year. Many remain doubtful about the permanence of Fury’s retirement, given his history of similar declarations followed by ring returns. Still, this time may be different, and Carl “The Cobra” Froch has already voiced why he believes a Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury clash is unlikely to ever materialize.

Carl Froch didn’t hold back when talking about Anthony Joshua’s next steps. “I tried to talk about Anthony Joshua and not give him too much stick,” Froch admitted. “But I have to be honest because that’s what we’re doing on for some fighting. Honesty is the best policy. I shoot from the hip. I tell it how it is.” He then went on to reveal what he sees as Eddie Hearn’s real game plan. “Eddie Hearn has a three fight deal for him. Three fight, no sorry, a three fight plan in his head. It’s obviously a cash out plan because he wants to fight Fury twice and then he wants to fight Daniel Dubois again. Now, I don’t think the Fury fight’s happening anyway.”

As for Tyson Fury, Froch didn’t mince words either. “I think he’s [Tyson Fury] done. He’s finished. Got 200 million quid, whatever he’s got. He’s not going to fight again. He’ll still make noise. He’ll still talk a bit of bollocks and still go back and forth, but I don’t think he’s coming out of retirement anytime soon.”

Froch further doubled down on his point, calling Hearn’s plan a lottery ticket play. “Two, not one fight, but two fights for Fury. Eddie Hern really is trying to get the old buns and burn. Really trying to get the big cash. Talk about cashing out. This is a proper cash out, ain’t it? This is like winning the lottery. The Euro lottery on your way home. But two fights with Fury for me. I don’t think he’s going to get one fight with Fury. He’s done. I think I made that clear.”

But the thing is, while Anthony Joshua appears eager to return to the ring for his next big challenge, at 35, the former unified heavyweight champion is struggling to find a worthy opponent. In the meantime, Matchroom Boxing head Eddie Hearn has hinted that AJ might end up joining Tyson Fury in retirement rather than facing him in the ring.

Anthony Joshua nearing retirement? Eddie Hearn reveals crucial deadline

Just a few days ago, Eddie Hearn confirmed that Anthony Joshua had entered talks with His Excellency Turki Alalshikh for a potential two-fight deal, as the former champion continues to recover from elbow surgery. Hearn also mentioned they were waiting for the outcome of the Oleksandr Usyk vs. Daniel Dubois rematch of July 19 before locking in Anthony Joshua’s next opponent. Among those being considered, Hearn pointed to Dillian Whyte and Jared Anderson as strong candidates. However, recent reports indicate Whyte is now in talks to face rising heavyweight prospect Moses Itauma on August 16th in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, a move that has likely disrupted Hearn’s original plans.

So, appearing on The Boxing Show Episode 30 with Ariel Helwani, Hearn admitted, “Dillian Whyte was the frontrunner to be honest with you—and he’s gonna fight Moses, so that was a curve ball.” Nonetheless, he maintained that other options remain on the table for the 28-4 boxer. Jared Anderson has been floated as a possible matchup, and with Deontay Wilder expected to return soon, that bout could also materialize. By the time Anthony Joshua steps back into the ring, Hearn noted, he will have been inactive for just over a year.

The Matchroom head honcho also provided an update on the much-discussed Anthony Joshua vs. Tyson Fury bout, suggesting that Fury likely won’t be ready in time to face Joshua this year. Instead, Hearn believes  Anthony Joshua’s next fight will serve as a tune-up for a major showdown in 2026. Notably, he added that 2026 may mark the final chapter of Joshua’s career. “And probably 2026 will be his last year in the sport… It’s probably three fights away,” Hearn said, hinting at a planned farewell run. With that said, do you believe Anthony Joshua is truly nearing the end? And more importantly, who do you think should he face next?