Eddie Hearn expects Anthony Joshua to fight again but offers no guarantees

By Jim van Wijk, Press Association

Promoter Eddie Hearn feels there are no guarantees Anthony Joshua will decide to fight again, but expects the former two-time world heavyweight champion to get back in the ring when he is ready.

Joshua was injured in a car crash in Nigeria on December 29th, which killed his close friends Sina Ghami and Latif ‘Latz’ Ayodele.

The crash occurred weeks after he stopped YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul in Miami to stay on course to face old foe Tyson Fury in 2026.

Last month in his first public video since the incident, an emotional Joshua said he knew what he would be doing next, without giving any firm details.

Hearn feels Joshua must be allowed all the time he needs to process the traumatic events before embarking on the next step of his own journey.

“I don’t think there is any guarantees he fights again, but at the same time I expect him to because it is something that he loves,” Hearn said in an interview with First Round TV.

“And it is something he can carry those guys with him through as well and it is something he wants to do.

A short message from the heart. My brother's keeper for life 🖤🪖🖤

🎥 https://t.co/EaCkakwRsD

— Anthony Joshua (@anthonyjoshua) January 29, 2026

“From a boxing sense, physically it wasn’t easy what he went through either. People probably don’t realise the extent of that.”

Hearn added: “He has been training, but he is not ready yet and won’t be for a while to return to boxing training.

“Before this terrible incident we were geared up to fight in March and then fight Tyson Fury. Obviously, that is not happening now and I don’t know if it will ever happen right now.

“But I think in the next few weeks and month, he may start to return and just turn the dial up a little bit more on training and see where he is at.”