Eddie Hearn’s risky plan to revive Anthony Joshua’s career against a dangerous opponent

Eddie Hearn says they should select Anthony Joshua’s tune-up opponent ‘Careful’ for early 2026 to prepare him for a big fight in the summer against the man he hopes Tyson Fury will be.

The weighing of risks

Hearn wants to avoid Joshua (28-4, 25 COs) suffering an upset defeat and destroying his plans for one of the popular heavyweights. The four names Hearn mentioned for his warm -up fight are still risky for him, as he will have been out of the ring for 16 to 17 months after the elbow operation and a fifth round loss of Daniel Dubois on September 21, 2024.

Joshua’s four candidates

• Tony yoka
• Efe Jagba
• Frank Sanchez
• Jared Anderson

These are still risky battles for Joshua, which will become 36 next month on October 15. Ajagba (20-1-1, 14 COs) would be a possible nightmare because of its power and 6’6 ″ size. With a canon right hand, he was able to destroy Hearn’s plans for AJ.

The 2016 Olympic gold medal Tony Yoka (14-3, 11 COs) is also not easy. He can hit, and his size of 6’7 ″ makes him a threat to Joshua. Although Yoka has lost several times over the past three years, it was competitive fights in which he landed very heavy shots.

“We have to choose carefully for the next fight, and I think the best way to be it all is just to be honest and say the next fight will be a comeback battle to build in a role of the dice next summer,” Eddie Hearn said Sky Sports Boxing. “We want it to be against Tyson Fury. If not so, it’s going to be a massive struggle. “

The safer road options

There are lighter heavyweights near the bottom of the top 15 that Joshua can fight, which would give him a better chance of winning. Since he comes from a long break and a bad knockout loss to Dubois, I would choose one of these fighters, I would be a safer choice for AJ:

1. Johnny Fisher
2. Joseph Goodall
3. Michael Hunter
4. Mahmoud car

“We need a top-15-man (next). We need someone so AJ can come back in a competitive battle after he is going to be in a year and get himself ready for the last role of the dice,” says Hearn.

A history of rebuilding

For Joshua’s four-game rebuilding track in 2023 and 2024, Hearn chose four lower level fighters on whom he did well. Although Otto Wallin and Jermaine Franklin were technical contenders, they were not a threat to hit him. Those types of heavyweights are ideal for AJ to fight in early 2026 to keep him on track for a summer blocopia.

“A defeat that is now at this stage of his career would be devastating for the plans. We have to do it,” says Hearn.

Another knockout loss would put Joshua in a position where he would have to decide whether it was worth continuing his career. With his strength, velocity, size and pedigree, he was able to rebuild himself quickly if he could stay enough to push three or four fights into one and a half years. This is unlikely, given his age and his increasing tendency to fight once a year.

“Joshua is on a crossroads, but he has the heart to come back. Look at Holyfield at 34, and come from a knockout loss to regain greatness. AJ’s 36, not done yet, but the next battle will tell us a lot, ‘said author Tom Gray about Sporting News, and talk about Joshua’s next battle in the early 2026.