Anthony Joshua has confirmed his plans to return to the ring in December, following a period of recovery after undergoing surgery this month.
The two-time world heavyweight champion has been out of the ring since suffering a shock fifth-round knockout against Daniel Dubois at Wembley back in September.
Speaking in an interview, Joshua revealed he was prioritizing physical rehabilitation before resuming full training later this year. The procedure is expected to keep him out of the gym for up to eight weeks, thereby extending his return to the final month of 2025 and taking his break to over a year.
“I just want to get my body feeling good and then I’ll fight. It’s a simple job, ” the 35-year-old said.
“December, I will fight again, that’s when I want to fight again, I’ll take some time and I will go in December.”
Meanwhile, fans have been hoping for a long-anticipated clash with Tyson Fury, a winter return effectively rules out a stadium fight in the UK and may delay that showdown until 2026, unless it is staged in the Middle East.
Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn remains hopeful a fight with Fury can still be agreed in future, though Joshua has also hinted at other potential opponents including Martin Bakole, Agit Kabayel and Deontay Wilder, whose own comeback bout is scheduled for next month.