British-Nigerian boxer Anthony Joshua may retire from boxing in 2026, according to his promoter, Eddie Hearn.
Hearn said Joshua could fight just three more times before calling it quits. He revealed this during interviews with DAZN and The MMA Hour.
“2026 will probably be his last year in the sport. If I’m advising AJ, we’re back this year, we have two Tyson Fury fights, and what else is there to do? Maybe fight Daniel Dubois. But once AJ fights Tyson Fury, he’s kind of done it all,” Hearn said.
Joshua, 34, is currently recovering from elbow surgery he had in May. His next fight could happen between October and December 2025. It would be his first match since losing by knockout to Daniel Dubois in September 2024.
Hearn explained, “By the time he steps back into the ring, AJ will have been out for just over a year and he’ll be coming off surgery. I don’t think Tyson Fury will be ready to fight around that time, so we’re looking at someone who can gear him up for a really big fight in 2026.”
Hearn said Dillian Whyte was being considered as Joshua’s next opponent. However, Whyte is now likely to fight rising British-Nigerian boxer Moses Itauma in Saudi Arabia. That has opened the door for other possible opponents, including American star Deontay Wilder and rising heavyweight Jared Anderson.
“Dillian Whyte was probably the frontrunner, to be honest with you. Now it looks like he’s going to fight Moses, so that was a curveball,” Hearn said.
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Hearn did not rule out a third fight with Oleksandr Usyk, who has already defeated Joshua twice. But he warned that fighting too long could be risky.
He said, “You just keep going on and on. Now, if we get to next year and he’s still firing on all cylinders, then 2026 won’t be his last year. But for me, something feels right about coming back this year, beating Tyson Fury twice and then sailing off into the sunset.”
Joshua has had 32 professional fights, winning 28 and losing four. He won a gold medal at the 2012 Olympics and is a two-time world champion.
Meanwhile, Deontay Wilder, who is also looking for a comeback after losing to Joseph Parker and Zhilei Zhang, is set to return to the ring on June 27 against Tyrrell Herndon in Kansas. If he wins, a Joshua-Wilder showdown could finally happen.
“AJ-Wilder is a massive fight as well. And I think because of the loss to Dubois, it makes the fight more palatable, especially if Wilder can come back with a good win,” Hearn said.
Though Tyson Fury lost twice to Usyk and has announced his retirement, Hearn still hopes he will return for a long-awaited fight with Joshua.
Joshua has not yet spoken publicly about retirement. But the comments of Hearing suggest that the end of the road may be near for one of boxing’s biggest stars.