Eddie Hearn has been by Anthony Joshua’s side, as his promoter, ever since his professional debut. Now many are eager to hear from the head of Matchroom whether his fighter will step back into the ring after the dramatic incident he was involved in. But for now, even Hearn himself does not know the answer to that question.
Speaking to BoxingScene, the British promoter said the following:
“I was with him last week. Obviously, physically, he’s recovering. Emotionally and spiritually, he’s recovering – and there’s not really any talk about boxing, to be honest. I mean, a lot of people ask me, ‘When is he going to fight again?’ And the answer is, it’s not even been discussed. I think it’s one of those where you leave him to do what he needs to do at his time. And that is, like I said, to recover physically, to mourn, to look after the families of Sina and [Latif]. And then, if the time comes where he goes, ‘I’m ready,’ then he’ll go back into training camp.”
The last time Joshua stepped into the ring was at the unusual event staged by MVP (Most Valuable Promotions) in Miami. On that occasion, AJ knocked out former YouTuber Jake Paul in six rounds, inflicting a double fracture of the jaw with the decisive right hand.
For the former heavyweight world champion, it marked a return to action after more than a year out of the ring, a break made necessary by the severity of the defeat he suffered in September 2024 against Daniel Dubois. Joshua, who had entered the fight as the bookmakers’ favorite, was knocked down four times and stopped by his compatriot in the fifth round.
The comfortable comeback against Jake Paul was meant to help him shake off some rust and relaunch himself ahead of a 2026 packed with major opportunities. That comeback, however, was abruptly halted by the car accident in Nigeria, which has inevitably left Joshua’s career in a state of limbo.