On the sidelines, there’s news for everyone. The boxing world remains fixated on the packed fight calendar. The highly anticipated showdown between Chris Eubank Jr. and Conor Benn at Tottenham Hotspur was just the start of a series of stacked cards, creating a spectacle never seen before and sparking plenty of chatter. Tonight, it’s Canelo Alvarez vs. William Scull, followed by Naoya Inoue, who’s already in the U.S. to defend his undisputed title against Ramon Cardenas tomorrow.

So a development emerged when sports journalist Claudia Trejos caught up with Anthony Joshua, who’s in Riyadh for the Canelo-Scull fight. Joshua’s career took a significant hit when Daniel Dubois defeated him at a Riyadh Season event last September. British boxing suffered another blow when Oleksandr Usyk defeated Tyson Fury for the second time in December. Fury then announced his retirement from the sport. However, rumors of a potential showdown with Joshua resurfaced. It’s a fight long discussed within the British boxing community. Now, Fury’s return to the ring remains uncertain. But then, on the other hand, Joshua shared a concerning update. He suffers from an injury that requires surgery. So, basically, if there were any chances of the matchup, they may as well have been pushed back.

Anthony Joshua: The comeback is on pause… for now

It’s too early to definitively say that a Tyson Fury vs. Anthony Joshua fight is off the table. However, it’s clear that a clash between the two will likely be delayed, much to the disappointment of countless fans. Amid the buzz at The Venue, Riyadh Season, sports journalist Claudia Trejos posed the inevitable question: “Mandatory question: we need you back. When are you coming back?”

Joshua responded, “When you want me back, people,” before adding, “I’m trying to get my body right. I’ve actually got a little surgery on my elbow. A small surgery sometime in May. I’m finalizing the details. That will see me out of the gym for maybe six to eight weeks, and then when I’m healed, I will be back.”

Putting that timeline together, it seems the former unified heavyweight champion is unlikely to return before the second half of the year. Perhaps by then, Tyson Fury will also have made up his mind. After all, it wouldn’t be the first time he announced retirement, only to return.

While not ideal, it does have its merits

For boxing fans, the news may feel like a letdown. But there’s a silver lining. If the Fury-Joshua bout does eventually materialize, wouldn’t it be better to have both fighters at their best? What’s the point of a blockbuster if one of the contenders enters the ring underprepared? For British boxing, a Fury-Joshua showdown would be the biggest fight in recent memory, and fans deserve to see both men give it everything.

Joshua turns 36 this October. With Oleksandr Usyk and Daniel Dubois now occupying the division’s top spots and rising talents like Martin Bakole, Fabio Wardley, and Moses Itauma closing in, his path back to the summit and a third world title looks increasingly narrow.

A fight with a marquee name like Tyson Fury could offer the final major push his career needs after a rocky stretch following a brief resurgence. But for a bout of that magnitude, Joshua must be fully fit and ready.

What’s your take? Will the long-anticipated Fury vs. Joshua showdown finally see the light of day in 2025?