Anthony Joshua targeting July return but won’t fight Tyson Fury next following fatal car crash, says Eddie Hearn
Anthony Joshua is eyeing a return to the ring in July just months after his involvement in a fatal car crash in Nigeria over Christmas, killing two of his close friends
Two-time world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua is targeting ring return in July after surviving a fatal car crash in December but will not yet be fighting Tyson Fury next, according to his promoter Eddie Hearn.
36-year-old Joshua was involved in a road traffic accident while visiting family in Nigeria over Christmas, which resulted in two of his friends and members of his training team, Sina Ghami and Latif Ayodele, being killed.
Londoner Joshua, who was initially hospitalised, had just beaten Jake Paul in a sixth-round knockout victory in Miami.
Tyson Fury is currently gearing up to face Arslanbek Makhmudov at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on April 11 in what will mark his first fight since losing in a rematch to Oleksandr Usyk in December 2024.Hearn told The Sportsman: “[He was] due to fight in March, then fight Tyson Fury. That’s not happening anymore. He won’t be fighting Tyson Fury next.
“We’ve really not had any solid plans to announce what’s next.
“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.
“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.
“Really, I think July is the time to return. We are looking at multiple options around the world for that potential return.
“I haven’t spoken that deeply with Anthony yet until he gets back into camp, and hopefully that will be in the next couple of weeks.”
Although the two will not fight just yet, Fury said his own return to boxing was inspired by Joshua’s tragic accident in late December.
At the start of 2025, Fury had announced that he would retire from boxing. But he since decided to come back and will fight Arslanbek Makhmudov on April 11 in London.
Speaking after his return was announced, he said: “Tomorrow might not ever come.
“The biggest turning point in this comeback for me was the tragedy that happened with Anthony Joshua. I was on holiday in Thailand with my family for Christmas, just to get away from the rain.
“I hear all that bad news that’s gone on and I thought, you know what, life is very short, very precious and very fragile.
“Anything could happen at any given moment and you should never put things off until tomorrow, or the next year or next week, because tomorrow is not promised to nobody.
“Tomorrow is a mystery, we have to live for today. And me living for that day, I made my mind up there and then that I’m going to come back to boxing – because it’s something that I love, I’m passionate about and that I’ve always been in love with.
“There is no tomorrow to put it off to, so that’s why I’m back today for this big fight.”
In January, during Joshua’s only public appearance since the accident, the British boxer alluded to a desire to pursue his boxing goals and cement his legacy to help honour the memory of Ghima and Adoyele.
“My goal is to continue to help them achieve their goals,” Joshua said.
“It’s not just physical strength that will get me through. It’s going to take a lot of strength from a higher power. So I’m definitely going to say my prayers and help them fulfil their dreams for their families – not only me, there’s a whole team of us.
“I’m going to do what’s right by them, I’m going to do what’s right by their family.
“In my corner of the world I know what I’m going to be doing. What can I say? One day my time will come… But the mission must go on. I understand my duty.
“It isn’t about legacy, it’s just doing what’s right and I know I’m going to do what’s right for them. I know what I’ve got to do.”
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