Joshua’s new pension time line as a ‘curveball’ changes plans for the next fight

Anthony Joshua could go into boxing in Boxing – while the search for his next opponent is rumbling.

AJ recovers from the elbow surgery in May And prepare to enter the training camp for his first fight since he lost Daniel Dubois in September.

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Promoter Eddie Hearn revealed that a comeback match was aimed between October-December and Dillian Whyte, 37, was their leader opponent.

But now WHYTE is joining a deal to be confronted with the 20-year-old British sensation instead Mozes Itauma on August 16 in Saudi Arabia.

It leaves the recurring Deontay Wilder as another option for Joshua – Who could approach his last year in sport.

Hearn told Dazn: “Dillian Whyte was probably the leader, to be honest. Now it seems that he is fighting against Moses – so that was a curveball.

“Jared Anderson is mentioned, of course Deontay Wilder’s back soon.

“I think AJ would have been out of the ring for a little more than a year by the time he gets back in the ring.

“He will come out of the operation, I don’t think (Tyson) Fury is ready to bypass that time.

“But I expect someone to set him up for a very big fight in 2026. And probably 2026 will be his last year in sport.”

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Wilder comes from a Ko loss for Zhilei Zhang, 42, last summer, because he was stunned at points of Joseph Parker, 33, in December 2023.

And the 39-year-old now returns on June 27 in Kansas against little known 24-5 Tyrrell Herndon- Where he can look to breathe new life into the AJ fight.

Hearn added: “AJ-Wilder is also a huge fight and I think that because of the loss for Dubois, I am making the fight tastier.

“Especially when Wilder can come back with a good victory.”

Fury, 36, was beaten twice by Oleksandr Usyk, 38, last year and announced his retirement in January a month after losing the Rematch.

But Hearn still keeps hope that the unpredictable gypsy King will return to fight Joshua – Setting up a double header of a swan song.

He said: “It is probably three fights removed. For me, when I advise AJ, we are back this year, we have two Tyson Fury fights, what else to do?

“Maybe fighting a Daniel Dubois, but for me if AJ once fights Tyson Fury Fury, he did it all.

“I would love it if he still had a crack at Daniel Dubois and I would love it if he still had a squat on Usyk, but you just keep going.

“Now, when we arrive next year and he still shoots all the cylinders, then 2026 is not his last year.

“But for me something feels good to come back this year, to beat Tyson Fury twice and then sail into the sunset.”

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