Anthony Joshua has announced his plans to return to the ring in September, as he edges closer to becoming a three-time world champion.
The British-Nigerian boxer is on a four-fight winning streak after suffering back-to-back losses, where he lost his titles and failed to reclaim them in his bouts against Oleksandr Usyk.
Over the past year, Joshua has secured four victories, three of them knockouts, against Robert Helenius, Otto Wallin, and Francis Ngannou.
When asked about his next fight during an appearance on The Jonathan Ross Show, as reported by Forbes, Joshua said, “I’ve been told around September, though I was hoping for June. For now, I’ve got some time to relax, go on dates, and socialise a bit. I’m training at the moment, but I’ve got about two months before I head into training camp.”
The 34-year-old former unified heavyweight champion also shared his thoughts on a potential fight with Tyson Fury.
“Fury is one of my rivals. He’s someone I definitely want to compete with one day. Everything he says, I’ve kept in the back of my mind, and when that fight happens, I’ll use it as fuel.”
Reflecting on his recent knockout victory over Ngannou, Joshua said, “I was prepared for a 10-round war. He’s a big, strong guy, and coming from MMA, he’s got a different style. I knew it would be tough, but I was confident I’d win. It just happened quicker than I expected.
“Sometimes you don’t connect with certain fighters, so there’s no conversation after. But with Ngannou, there was a lot of mutual respect. I encouraged him because he’s had an amazing career. One loss shouldn’t define him. I’ve lost before, and I know how tough that can be.”
Joshua is undoubtedly keeping an eye on the upcoming undisputed clash between Usyk and Fury on May 18, a fight that could set him up as the next contender for the WBC title.
