Anthony Joshua Eyes Ring Return, Deontay Wilder Comeback Could Hold the Key
Former unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua is gearing up for a return to action, but his long-anticipated showdown with Tyson Fury appears to be slipping further from reach. With Fury remaining firm on his retirement claims, Joshua’s team has shifted their focus—potentially toward another former world champion: Deontay Wilder.
Wilder, known as ‘The Bronze Bomber,’ is scheduled to return to the ring after over a year away, following his fifth-round knockout loss to Zhilei Zhang. Now 39, Wilder has struggled to regain momentum since back-to-back defeats against Tyson Fury. His next opponent is Tyrrell Anthony Herndon, a 24-5 fighter from Texas. But the real intrigue lies in whether this comeback will be enough to set up a high-profile clash with Joshua.
According to a May 28th report from ESPN, Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn stated that the British boxer plans to fight only once this year. Hearn revealed that Joshua would be ready to return by mid-September, but a final decision hinges on Fury’s availability. Although Hearn remains hopeful Fury might reconsider retirement for one last mega-fight, history has shown that the unpredictable ‘Gypsy King’ rarely sticks to retirement announcements for long.
In the meantime, Team Joshua is watching the outcome of the July 19th bout between Oleksandr Usyk and Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium, with potential interest in facing the winner. Still, Wilder remains a compelling option—if he can make a convincing return.
Hearn made it clear that there’s a catch: “If Wilder comes back and looks sensational, we’ll probably start talking about it again. I don’t rule it out.”
However, complicating matters is an update from Joshua himself. While Hearn suggested a September return, Joshua told DAZN that he is scheduled for a minor elbow surgery in May. The procedure will sideline him for six to eight weeks, likely delaying his return until at least October. This contradicts Hearn’s timeline and adds uncertainty to Joshua’s 2025 fight schedule.
Joshua’s last appearance was a loss to Daniel Dubois, and since then, injury setbacks have delayed his progress. As he prepares to recover and resume training, fans are left wondering: Will Wilder impress enough to reignite talks of a Joshua bout? Can Fury truly resist the pull of one last blockbuster showdown? And is Joshua’s comeback still on course despite the surgery?
The heavyweight division continues to evolve, but one thing is certain—fans are eagerly awaiting the next move from all three giants of the sport.