Anthony Joshua eyes July return after accident

Former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua is targeting a return to the ring in July as he continues his recovery from a tragic car accident that derailed his career momentum, promoter Eddie Hearn has confirmed.

Joshua had been riding high after a dominant sixth-round knockout victory over Jake Paul in Miami.

The emphatic win appeared to set up a blockbuster all-British showdown with Tyson Fury, with initial plans pointing toward a March bout before a potential mega-fight later in the year.

However, those plans were abruptly halted following a devastating road accident in Nigeria during the Christmas holidays.

The crash tragically claimed the lives of two of Joshua’s close associates and members of his training team, Sina Ghami and Latif Ayodele, while leaving the former champion hospitalised.

Speaking to The Sportsman, Hearn revealed that the original fight schedule has now been scrapped.

“[He was] due to fight in March, then fight Tyson Fury. That’s not happening anymore. He won’t be fighting Tyson Fury next,” Hearn said.

Instead, the priority remains Joshua’s full physical recovery and a gradual return to training.

“The focus for Anthony Joshua is to get back into training camp. He’s not ready to go back into training camp, physically, but it’s getting closer,” Hearn explained.

He added, “I think there’s nothing more that he wants at the moment than to return to training camp because it’s where he loves to be.”

Meanwhile, Fury is preparing for his own return, scheduled to face Arslanbek Makhmudov on April 11 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in his first appearance since his rematch defeat to Oleksandr Usyk in December 2024.