The two-time heavyweight champion is plotting a return to action after missing out on a showdown with YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul
Anthony Joshua has received an offer to fight in Ghana ahead of his return to boxing after a meeting with Jake Paul fell through.
The two-time heavyweight champion has not fought since he was knocked out by Daniel Dubois last September. After undergoing surgery on his elbow earlier this year, ‘AJ’ is now plotting his return to action in what could be his final year as a professional boxer.
Joshua, 35, was recently handed a major blow after Paul confirmed he will be taking on lightweight star Gervonta Davis in an exhibition showdown in November. The ‘Problem Child’ has called the heavyweight star over the last few months and it seemed as if a fight was on the cards.
However, the Brit is now expected to move on and his promoter, Eddie Hearn, has revealed his star client has received multiple offers and confirms that conversations over a potential fight in Ghana have taken place. Speaking on the Flash Knockdown podcast, the promoter said: “As the time ticks by, it’s probably more likely that we see [Anthony Joshua] in the ring again for a January/February date if I’m honest. I don’t think there’s any value in us saying it will be in December.
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“He’s been travelling about a bit but he’s back in training following an elbow operation. But these big fights take time and every AJ event is a massive event. It was well publicised about the meetings that took place in Ghana over the last couple of weeks. There has been an offer to do a fight there and I think it would be incredible for AJ to fight in Africa. However, when you are doing site deals a lot of it depends on when the host wants to stage the show. So, if Ghana comes back and says they’d like to go in January/February, then that’s the offer.”
Back in June, Joshua flew out to Ghana to watch Amir Khan’s first ever boxing show as a promoter in the aforementioned African nation. Khan hopes the show will serve as a launchpad for future promotions worldwide. In the main event, Andrew Tabiti defeated Jacob Dickson. Khan recently teamed up with Balmoral Group Promotions and is set to promote a historic event in Nigeria – which is set to take place on Wednesday, October 1, Nigerian Independence Day.
Last month, Tony Yoka revealed he could fight Joshua in Ghana. Joshua himself recently claimed he would take on his fellow Olympic champion. The Frenchman revealed Joshua’s team have gone to Ghana to scout out potential venues for the showdown. Hearn admitted that the Brit’s next fight will more than likely be a warm-up fight as he is still holding on to an all-British showdown between Joshua and Tyson Fury.
“I don’t think there’s a rush, albeit he has been out of the ring for almost a year now,” Hearn continued. “Any fight he has next though is likely to be a warm-up fight for that ‘roll the dice’ fight. We hope, in an ideal world, that is Tyson Fury. If not, it will be against one of the top five heavyweights.”
Regarding a potential Fury versus Joshua bout, Hearn confessed to Sky Sports: “Right now all that’s in my mind in an ideal scenario is to fight Tyson Fury next year. That’s the big focus. From a common-sense perspective the fight has to happen in 2026 but common sense and Fury’s decisions don’t always gel together. He’s got to want to come back. It’s a personal decision.”
What boxing is on this week?
Michael Conlan is set to take on Jack Bateson in Dublin on Friday, September 5. Conlan will be returning for the first time since defeating Asad Asif Khan back in March. The main broadcast is set to get underway at around 9pm BST (4pm ET / 3pm CT / 1pm PT). Triller’s main show is due to get underway at around 7pm BST (2pm ET / 1pm CT / 11am PT).
A free preliminary undercard will begin on Triller at 5:15pm BST (12:15pm ET / 11:15am CT / 9:15am PT). In the main event, Bateson will likely make the walk to the ring first at around 10pm BST (5pm ET / 4pm CT / 2pm PT), with Conlan set to follow immediately after. The timings of all fights are subject to change and will depend on how long the undercard takes to complete.