Anthony Joshua is forced to lick his wounds following his devastating fifth-round stoppage defeat to IBF world heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium.
Since the 34-year-old’s fourth professional defeat on Saturday, boxing aficionados have largely questioned his future in the sport, with many calling for him to retire.
However, Anthony Joshua has now confirmed that he will resume his career, without revealing any plans regarding his next opponent.
But his promoter, Eddie Hearn, has indicated that they could trigger a rematch clause to face Daniel Dubois once again.
And yet, the Matchroom Boxing boss has expressed more of an interest in making a clash between ‘AJ’ and Tyson Fury, knowing that it is still one of the most lucrative matchups in the division.
Eddie Hearn urges Anthony Joshua to wait for the winner of Oleksandr Usyk vs Tyson Fury
After suffering his first professional defeat to Oleksandr Usyk in May, Fury will get a second crack of the whip when he rematches the formidable Ukrainian champion on December 21.
And now, Eddie Hearn believes that Joshua should wait until the end of this year before deciding what his next step should be.
Speaking with Sky Sports, he said: “My advice is don’t do anything until December 21 – Usyk against Fury. If Tyson Fury loses that fight, you set up a big fight with Anthony Joshua.
“If Tyson Fury wins that fight, he could make a voluntary defense against Anthony Joshua for the unified world heavyweight championship.
“In AJ’s mind, I think all he’ll want to do is get back in with Daniel Dubois because he and the team think they can beat him.
“But in my mind, I think we should wait to see what happens with Tyson Fury. It’s still the biggest fight in the division by a mile.”
How likely is a rematch between Daniel Dubois and Anthony Joshua?
While Hearn is eager to make Fury vs Joshua – a fight that has been teased to the British public for over five years – there is still a chance that the Matchroom star could enter an immediate rematch with Dubois.
On Monday, Joshua posted a video on X – just two days after his defeat – indicating that his desire to become a three-time world heavyweight champion remains intact.
Only now, it would seem that he is presented with two options to fulfill his ambition, as while a rematch with Dubois could arrive later this year, he may be forced to wait until 2025 should he choose to lock horns with the ‘Gypsy King.’