Following his recent victory over Jermaine Franklin, Anthony Joshua had announced that he would not be returning to the ring until December.
However, there have been murmurs of a Saudi Arabian funded heavyweight tournament featuring some of the biggest names in boxing, including Joshua, Tyson Fury, Deontay Wilder, and Oleksandr Usyk.
The winners of the tournament would then face each other, adding even more excitement to the heavyweight division.
Despite Joshua’s earlier announcement, his promoter Eddie Hearn has been pushing for a July fight with Dillian Whyte as the potential opponent.
Now, Joshua has revealed that he could change his mind about waiting until December to fight again. Leaving the door open for a potential July bout.
This news has generated excitement among boxing fans who are eager to see Joshua back in the ring, potentially against Whyte. Who has been vocal about his desire for a rematch with Joshua.
Anthony Joshua: “If you look at my character, I'm not the most aggressive person, I'm not a fighter – I'm more of a boxer. I've always tried to develop my boxing IQ, but there are times when you have to fight. So I wanna become a box-fighter.” [@SkySports]
— Michael Benson (@MichaelBensonn) April 25, 2023
If the fight comes to fruition, it would be a highly anticipated bout and could potentially set the stage for even bigger fights in the future.
However, with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic still posing a threat, the logistics of organizing such a fight could be challenging.
Nonetheless, the prospect of Joshua returning to the ring sooner than expected has undoubtedly piqued the interest of boxing fans worldwide. And many will be eagerly watching for any further developments.
“If you look at my character, I’m not the most aggressive outwardly type of person,” Joshua told Sky Sports. “I’m not a fighter, I’m more of a boxer. There’s a thought process and a method behind the madness. I’ve always tried to develop my boxing IQ, but over 12 rounds there are times when you have to fight. I wanna become a box-fighter, so I need to improve.
Anthony Joshua opens up new Under Armor Academy
In London, Joshua is present to inaugurate the Next Academy by Under Armour. Which endeavors to promote physical activity among numerous young individuals throughout the nation.
Amidst being surrounded by throngs of enthusiastic children eager to catch a glimpse of the former heavyweight champion. It’s worth pondering about the guidance he would offer to those who idolize him.
Joshua perceives the Next Academy as an opportunity to significantly enhance the lives of young people across the country.
At the conclusion of this year, Joshua may face off against Deontay Wilder in a momentous event held in Saudi Arabia. The co-headliner would feature Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk.
Joshua’s shift away from his aggressive, knockout-focused approach is partly due to his belief that it may not be effective against a more versatile adversary.
