Eddie Hearn says 2026 will ‘probably’ be Anthony Joshua’s last year in boxing: ‘Probably three fights away’

Very few have accomplished what Anthony Joshua has in boxing. But now that he’s a dozen years into his professional career, the two-time unified heavyweight champion might be preparing for his swan song.

Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn claims Joshua, 35, could retire as soon as next year. On Tuesday, Hearn told “Ariel x Ade” that “probably 2026 will be his last year in the sport.”

Joshua (28-4, 25 KOs) has been absent since Daniel Dubois stopped him in their September IBF heavyweight title fight. Hearn believes the fights Joshua should pursue most are elusive bouts with fellow former unified heavyweight champion Tyson Fury.

“I mean, you never know, but thinking about it, it’s probably three fights away,” Hearn said. “If I’m advising AJ, I’m thinking, ‘We’re back this year, two Tyson Fury fights, what else is there to do?’

“He maybe could fight a Daniel Dubois, but I think for me, once AJ fights a Tyson Fury, he’s kind of done it all.”

Hearn supports Joshua rematching Dubois and Oleksandr Usyk, the latter of whom beat Joshua twice, if Joshua is in rare form. Still, Hearn prefers Joshua closing his storied career with storybook wins over Fury.

“If we get to 2026 and he’s firing on all cylinders, then 2026 won’t be his last year,” Hearn said. “But for me, something feels right about beating Tyson Fury twice and then sailing off into the sunset.”

The pair of British sluggers have been linked for years to make a superfight. The only problem was that as soon as it felt like a possibility, one of the two would drop a fight in a shocking way, or one of the two would ask for a larger cut of the pie and negotiations would fall apart. Now, with both of them in the twilight of their careers, it feels like a distinct possibility to finally get them in the ring together.