Anthony Joshua's Boxing Future: Evaluating Potential Opponents After Eddie Hearn's Hint
Anthony Joshua's return to the ring could materialise sooner than anticipated, with the heavyweight champion deciding to continue his boxing career following a tragic car crash that claimed the lives of two teammates. Joshua, aged 36, sustained injuries himself during the December incident in Nigeria, which occurred just ten days after his sixth-round stoppage victory over influencer Jake Paul.
The devastating nature of the accident initially cast uncertainty over Joshua's fighting future, but the British boxer swiftly returned to training. His promoter, Eddie Hearn, has since suggested a summer bout could be on the horizon, recently posting an Instagram photo of himself accompanying Joshua during a past ring walk with the caption "loading."
Who Could Face Joshua Next?
The former two-time world champion currently faces limited options at the elite level, with numerous key figures in the heavyweight division already scheduled for upcoming fights. On April 4th, Joshua's friend Derek Chisora will battle Deontay Wilder, while Tyson Fury ends his fifth retirement to face Arslanbek Makhmudov on April 11th. Fabio Wardley defends his WBO title against Daniel Dubois on May 9th, and unified champion Oleksandr Usyk defends his WBC belt against Rico Verhoeven at Egypt's pyramids on May 23rd.
Nevertheless, several potential opponents emerge for Joshua depending on how events unfold within the division.
Agit Kabayel: The WBC Mandatory Challenger
Given Hearn's "loading" hint, Joshua's next opponent likely won't be one of the currently-booked heavyweights, though we'll revisit them as backup possibilities. First is Kabayel, the WBC mandatory challenger awaiting his shot at Usyk, who was granted a voluntary defence against Verhoeven. Kabayel presents danger, as demonstrated by his body-shot stoppage of Zhilei Zhang in 2025, though he was floored during that contest.
The German also halted initial hype surrounding Makhmudov with a body-shot knockout in late 2023, yet these victories highlight that Kabayel's finishing abilities rely more on accuracy and intelligence rather than raw power. Many would likely favour Joshua to withstand the unbeaten German's punches; the question becomes whether the Briton could outmanoeuvre him over twelve rounds or deliver a decisive blow himself.
Another consideration is whether Kabayel, aged 33, would risk his mandatory WBC title shot. We believe he might, especially since Usyk recently outlined his ideal final three fights without mentioning Kabayel.
Filip Hrgovic: A Fading Threat
Hrgovic represents a name vaguely linked to Joshua for some time, currently without an opponent. The Croatian no longer carries the threat he once did after Dubois withstood his punishment to stop him in 2024, handing Hrgovic his first defeat. In two subsequent fights, Hrgovic secured decision victories against Joe Joyce and David Adeleye but failed to make a significant impact on the division.
Consequently, the 33-year-old doesn't necessarily embody the kind of risk Hearn might currently seek for Joshua.
Martin Bakole: Potential African Showdown
Discussions have circulated about Joshua fighting in Africa before retirement, making a showdown with Congolese heavyweight Bakole plausible. Efe Ajagba—who shares Nigerian heritage with Joshua—was also linked to AJ, though complications arise from Ajagba's association with Matchroom's rivals Zuffa Boxing.
Regarding Bakole, he long styled himself as the most-avoided boxer at heavyweight, yet his stock has declined following a stoppage loss to Joseph Parker and a draw with Ajagba. He's among several fighters who might have been considered too risky for Joshua previously but not at present.
Guido Vianello: An Uninspiring Option
Whispers last autumn suggested the Italian could face Joshua, prompting many fans to ask, "Who?" Vianello represents another boxer who doesn't appear to pose substantial risk to Joshua. With a record of 14-3-1, he largely promoted a potential fight with AJ based on his 2024 stoppage of Makhmudov, though that victory sits between points losses to Efe Ajagba and Richard Torrez Jr.
A match between Vianello, aged 31, and Joshua would hardly inspire excitement, but it might provide the sort of bout the Briton requires.
Deontay Wilder: A Long-Awaited Clash
Now we examine currently-paired options Joshua could face depending on results. Chisora versus Wilder has been billed as a dual-retirement fight, though Chisora seems more accepting of that notion than his American counterpart. Should Wilder triumph, don't be surprised if he continues boxing, potentially opening the door to a long-awaited clash with AJ.
Given Wilder fights soon, it's not implausible that negotiations are underway—though we wouldn't bank on it. We'd anticipate Joshua overcoming this faded, 40-year-old version of Wilder, who has suffered four losses including three brutal knockouts.
Fabio Wardley: Conditional Possibility
This would likely depend on Wardley losing his title defence against Dubois; otherwise, the Ipswich fighter might be deemed too dangerous for Joshua currently. It would also prove difficult to justify AJ boxing for the WBO belt next if Wardley defeats Dubois.
However, if Wardley loses on May 9th? He has appeared vulnerable in recent outings, requiring late knockouts to erase points deficits against Parker and Justis Huni, so perhaps Hearn would endorse some risk-taking. Joshua versus Wardley would still feel like a significant British fight, even if the latter entered following a defeat.
Tyson Fury: The Dream Fight That Lingers
Similar to Joshua versus Wilder, the Fury bout once represented a dream fight. While it no longer holds that status, it remains enticing. Furthermore, Joshua maintains keen interest, and Fury hasn't entirely dismissed it—though he would prefer a trilogy bout with Usyk, despite public disinterest after the Ukrainian's two points victories over Fury.
The issue: if the "Gypsy King" beats Makhmudov, he'd enter a fight against Joshua with considerably greater momentum (yes, Joshua fought in December, but the Paul contest hardly constituted a test), unless AJ first has a warm-up outing.
