Anthony Joshua in race against time for final legacy fights - Deontay Wilder next before Tyson Fury showdown?

Anthony Joshua will retire next year, says promoter Eddie Hearn. It leaves AJ in a race against time to secure the final fights he needs for his legacy.

Joshua has been a major star in British boxing but so far has not managed to secure fights with his key rivals, Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury.

Over the years, the heavyweight trio had opportunities to fight each other, potentially with the undisputed world championship on the line. That would no longer be on offer and Joshua, Wilder and Fury have now all lost their most recent fights.

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Fury retired after losing for a second time to unified champion Oleksandr Usyk, while Joshua needs to rebuild after a crushing knockout defeat to Daniel Dubois last year.

Joshua has had a successful operation on his elbow and is looking for a comeback fight before the end of 2025.

"Deontay Wilder fights next week. I know he's a name that's been mentioned," Joshua's promoter Eddie Hearn told Sky Sports.

"There is a potential that AJ could fight Deontay Wilder in October, November, December, and then fight Tyson Fury, and then he's kind of got the full set in terms of every elite heavyweight of this generation, he's faced in the ring.

"AJ will return during that period this year and obviously he must win, and that performance will tell us a lot about the future of Anthony Joshua."

He believes Fury could still come out of retirement to box Joshua. "If we don't make the Tyson Fury fight, it would be a big shame," Hearn said.

"So, for me, the Tyson Fury fight has to happen. I think there's no excuse now why that shouldn't happen.

"I think people are tired of hearing about it. Let's just get them in the ring. To see those two in the opposite corner would be an iconic moment for not just British boxing, but British sport.

"First things first. Our comeback begins October, November, December, and then hopefully Mr Fury is ready to rumble in 2026."

However, Hearn does not expect Joshua to box beyond next year.

"2026 could be his last year in the sport," the promoter said. "What else do you expect? I mean, that's three or four fights away. He can't go on forever but he's motivated, physically feeling good now to return to camp and ready for one little last roll to this incredible career. Hopefully that involves a fight with Mr Fury."

Is world title dream over?

Dubois brutally ended Joshua's bid to become a three-time world heavyweight champion last September.

He fights Usyk in an undisputed heavyweight title fight in July. As Joshua has lost to both men previously he would not be favoured to beat either Usyk or Dubois in a potential 2026 bout.

But once an undisputed champion is crowned next month, heavyweight world titles could become vacant - it is always hard for one man to meet the mandatory commitments of all four sanctioning bodies.

"Anything's possible in the division," Hearn said. "There's a great crop of young heavyweights coming through.

"With AJ's profile, he can land whatever fight he wants."

But he added: "The fight that he wants is Tyson Fury. We know right now that's not available so we'll do our thing.

"We know that older generation of heavyweights, which is Usyk and Fury and AJ, are in their final run. But don't rule them out just yet."

(c) Sky Sports 2025: Anthony Joshua in race against time for final legacy fights - Deontay Wilder next before Tyson Fury showdown?