Is Anthony Joshua preparing to be a back-up fighter for Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk? Eddie Hearn shares definitive answer
Anthony Joshua is fresh off the back of a superb second-round knockout win over Francis Ngannou.
The Brit walked away from his bout with Ngannou unscathed, and his promoter Eddie Hearn has now shared whether or not 'AJ' will be the emergency replacement for Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk, set to take place on May 18th.
Their bout had previously been scheduled to take place on Dec. 23rd, but Fury's clash with Ngannou in October did not go according to plan, with the WBC champion accruing more damage than expected.
The bout was rescheduled to take place on Feb. 17, but disaster struck several weeks before fight night as 'The Gypsy King' suffered a cut above his eye, forcing him to withdraw from the bout.
Ahead of the heavyweight title bout next month, Hearn was interviewed by iFL TV, where he was asked if Joshua would be on standby in case either Fury or Usyk withdrew.
The Matchroom Boxing chairman said this:
"He's always ready, he's not down the gym right now going, 'I wonder if I'll get the call. I hope I get the call.' We don't work off short notice 'round here. But we f***ing stay ready! Do you understand me? And 'AJ' is the most consistent performer I've ever seen in the sport. He could fight next Saturday. His dedication to the sport, his professionalism, unbelievable. As I said, we stay ready 'round here!"
Watch Hearn discuss Anthony Joshua being a back-up fighter below (21:30):
Anthony Joshua provides a timeline for his retirement from boxing
Anthony Joshua has achieved an immense amount in his boxing career and is undoubtedly one of the most successful heavyweights in the sport's modern era.
Having bounced back from consecutive defeats to Oleksandr Usyk in 2021 and 2022 with four victories in less than twelve months, 'AJ' appears reinvigorated and on the cusp of yet another title fight.
However, during a recent appearance on the Jonathan Ross Show, the heavyweight boxer shed light on his retirement from the sport. TalkSPORT boxing editor Michael Benson took to X to report the news, as he wrote this:
"Anthony Joshua has declared that he is planning to retire from boxing in two years, after he turns 37 years old in 2026. "I've always said 35 - I'm 35 in October. I'm thinking another two years or so; If my body holds out."
See the post below: