Anthony Joshua has confirmed he will return to the ring in December, following a recovery period after undergoing elbow surgery earlier this month.
The two-time world heavyweight champion has been inactive since suffering a fifth-round knockout defeat to Daniel Dubois at Wembley in September.
In an interview with ESPN Mexico, Joshua revealed that he is focused on rehabilitation before resuming full training later in the year. The surgery is expected to sideline him for up to eight weeks, setting the stage for a December comeback and extending his time away from the ring to over a year.
“I just want to get my body feeling good and then I’ll fight. It’s a simple job,” said the 35-year-old.
“December, I will fight again. That’s when I want to fight again. I’ll take some time, and I will go in December.”
Although fans had been hoping for a long-awaited bout with Tyson Fury, a winter return makes a stadium fight in the UK unlikely and could delay that high-profile clash until 2026—unless it takes place in the Middle East.
Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, remains optimistic that a Fury fight can still be arranged, but Joshua has also mentioned other possible opponents, including Martin Bakole, Agit Kabayel, and Deontay Wilder, who is expected to fight next month.
Reflecting on his recent performance, Joshua admitted he needs to raise his game if he hopes to reclaim a world title.
“To be a champion, you’ve got to be great. I was good in my last fight, but not great,” he said. “Throughout the last year or so, especially my last fight—I was good, but not great. To be a champion, you gotta be ‘on your s***,’ basically. I need to step my game up.”
