Anthony Joshua targets July ring return ahead of potential Tyson Fury bout
Anthony Joshua is targeting a return to the ring in July following his car crash, with promoter Eddie Hearn eyeing a potential clash with Tyson Fury later this year.
The former two-time world heavyweight champion has been out of action since surviving a fatal accident in Nigeria last December.
While the crash tragically claimed the lives of two close friends, Hearn has confirmed the Watford-born fighter is nearing a return to training.
Original plans for a March bout were scrapped due to the incident, but a summer comeback could still pave the way for a long-awaited showdown with domestic rival Fury.
Hearn outlines recovery timeline
“Originally the plan with AJ was for him to fight in March and then fight Tyson Fury in August,” Hearn told BoxingScene.
The Matchroom Boxing chairman admitted that Joshua is not yet physically ready to compete but expects him back in late summer.
“I’m looking at options to get him back in the ring in July but we will only know if that’s a real possibility when he returns to camp which will hopefully be in the next couple of weeks,” Hearn added.
Hearn emphasised that any return bout carries risk given the trauma Joshua has recently experienced.
Fury inspired by rival’s survival
While Joshua recovers, the Gypsy King is preparing to end his own year-long retirement against Russian heavyweight Arslanbek Makhmudov in April.
The WBC champion revealed that hearing news of his British rival’s brush with death actually motivated his decision to fight again.
“Tomorrow might not ever come and I suppose the biggest turning point in this comeback for me was the tragedy that happened with Anthony Joshua,” Fury said.
The Manchester-born fighter emphasized that life’s fragility prompted him to seize the moment rather than waiting.
Future of the domestic super-fight
A bout between Britain’s two premier heavyweights had been pencilled in as a £200m showdown before the accident cast doubt on the schedule.
Hearn acknowledged that while they remain open to the fight, it would likely take place at the end of the year or early in 2027.
“We are open to the Tyson Fury fight but more likely at the end of the year or early in 2027,” Hearn confirmed.