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Anthony Joshua has not laced up the gloves for a professional fight in 2025 as of the start of November. The former world champion last competed in September 2024 against Daniel Dubois and has since been removed from the heavyweight rankings. Despite 'AJ's' lack of activity, Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn has been adamant throughout 2025 that Joshua will be returning to the ring. Although a fight with Tyson Fury is seemingly slipping through the cracks, as the 'Gypsy King' has reiterated his desire to stay retired, Joshua was still expected to return in the early stages of 2026. Now, it appears as if Joshua will compete sooner rather than later. Eddie Hearn Confirms Anthony Joshua Will Compete In 2025, With Three Possible Dates Although fighters like Martin Bakole, Tony Yoka, and even Jake Paul were linked with fights to Joshua in the near future, it is still unclear who the British great will face next. However, despite an opponent being unknown, Eddie Hearn confirmed that his fighter would be returning to the ring in 2025, despite doubts from the boxing community. Speaking to Sports Illustrated's Chris Mannix on a DAZN broadcast, Hearn was asked, "You've got about three dates left [before 2026] by my count: November 15 [Eubank vs Benn 2], December 13 [Pacheco vs Sadjo], and you're working the December 27 show [Inoue vs Picasso]. Will we see Anthony Joshua on any of those shows?" Hearn did not go into detail, as he simply replied "Yes". The Matchroom Boxing promoter previously mentioned that Joshua may return on the undercard of an event for his next bout instead of being the headline act. This would align with Hearn's confirmation that he will compete on one of the three cards mentioned. The most unlikely date that Joshua will compete on is November 15th, despite Chris Eubank Jr. vs Conor Benn taking place in London, England. Joshua is not currently understood to be in a fight camp, nor has there been a clear candidate for his next opponent, so seeing 'AJ' compete in two weeks is unlikely. This means it will likely be either December 13th or 27th when fans see Joshua return. The earlier date sees Diego Pacheco take on Kevin Lele Sadjo in California, while the latter pits Naoya Inoue against Alan Picasso in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Hearn did not give any indication as to when an official announcement would be made for the fight.
