Hearn dismisses African fight rumours, confirms Joshua’s next bout in February

Eddie Hearn has confirmed that Anthony Joshua will not be fighting in Africa this December. Instead, the British boxer is expected to return to the ring in February next year.

There had been reports that Joshua could stage a comeback fight in Africa, possibly in Ghana or Nigeria, since he has Nigerian roots. But Hearn, speaking to Sky Sports, dismissed those rumours.
“No, definitely not.

There are all kinds of rumours about Anthony Joshua right now,” Hearn said. “He’s already in training camp, and while we discussed the idea of a small fight this year, it’s looking less likely as time goes by. February is the solid date for his next fight.”

Hearn explained that Joshua has been out of the ring for about a year and a half, and returning straight into a big fight would be challenging. “He hasn’t had a simple warm-up fight in years. It’s part of being a big name like Anthony Joshua,” he said.

The promoter also revealed that they had received offers from Ghana and Nigeria to host Joshua’s next bout. In addition, talks are ongoing with Turki Al-Sheikh, a top Saudi official, about a multi-fight deal that could include a potential clash with Tyson Fury.

“There are many options, but what matters now is that Joshua is training hard and focused on his return,” Hearn added. “Our goal is to get him in top shape and build momentum for a possible fight with Tyson Fury.”

However, he noted that the deal depends on Fury’s own agreement with Turki Al-Sheikh. “Until Fury does his deal, there’s no point calling him out,” Hearn said. “What’s important is that Joshua has a clear plan for the next 12 months.”