According to promoter Eddie Hearn, Anthony Joshua will return to the ring in May or June of 2020. The two fights that Hearn wants for Joshua (28-4, 25 KOs) are Tyson Fury and Daniel Dubois.
Hearn doesn’t mention wanting Joshua to fight Oleksandr Usyk despite AJ losing twice to him and many fans wanting to see him avenge the losses. For Hearn not to include Usyk, it tells you that doesn’t think AJ can win.
Fury is a possibility for Joshua depending on his performance against unified three-belt heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk on December 21st. Hearn is hoping that Fury can win that fight because he wants Joshua to fight for world titles.
“If you look at it, he fought Jermaine Franklin, Robert Helenius, Otto Wallin, and Francis Ngannou. All from the period of April to March. So, in eight months, he had four fights, and then he fought Dubois as well four months later,” said Eddie Hearn to the media about Anthony Joshua.
Those aren’t great fighters that Joshua beat in the one-year period. He could have taken some serious fights.
“So, he’s been super active. Obviously, when you get beat like that, you do need a little more time. He’ll be ready to rescue his camp in January. So, he’ll be good to fight starting in April, but I do expect him to fight in May or June.
“Obviously, if he fights Fury, he’s going to need that space between the Usyk fight and Dubois is fighting on February 22nd. So, realistically, May or June is more like it. AJ would continue to fight forever. He loves it, but I think the two fights out there for him are the rematch with Dubois and the Tyson Fury fight.
“For me, I don’t see the appeal of any other fight, if I’m honest. No, straight in. There are no warmup fights needed at this stage [for Joshua]. Straight in,” said Hearn when asked if Joshua would take a warmup fight before fighting Fury or Dubois.
There are other fights out there for Joshua, such as Oleksandr Usyk and Martin Bakole. It wouldn’t make sense for Joshua to fight Fury if he’s beaten by Usyk.
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