Anthony Joshua's return to the ring faces a delay. The two-time world heavyweight champion hasn't fought since September and might be out of action for a full year.
Joshua, now 35, lost his last fight against Daniel Dubois. The loss marked his fourth defeat in recent outings, a tough blow for a fighter who's been at the top for over a decade.
Initially, Joshua planned an immediate rematch with Dubois. Small injuries got in the way, and he's been sitting out the last few months. Fans hoped for a big showdown with long-time rival Tyson Fury, but that's not happening right now.
Joshua's promoter, Eddie Hearn, explained the situation to Ring Magazine:
"The top half of his body, I'll give you that. It's nothing major, but it means he's been returning to training but he's not quite ready to return to camp. He needs about another eight weeks until he can punch properly so you're looking at April, May [for training] so that leads you to the back end of summer [for a fight date.]"
This setback pushes Joshua's comeback to late summer at the earliest. He'll likely start training again in April or May.
While Joshua recovers, the heavyweight division keeps moving. Joseph Parker got the call to face unified champion Oleksandr Usyk. Usyk wants an undisputed showdown with Dubois after that.
Tyson Fury announced his retirement after losing twice to Usyk. But some hope Fury might change his mind for a fight with Joshua. That matchup's been talked about for years.
For now, Joshua focuses on healing. When he's ready, he'll have plenty of options. Dubois, Deontay Wilder, Agit Kabayel, and Joseph Parker are all potential opponents.
The extra time off might work in Joshua's favor. He's getting older, and this break could help him come back stronger for the final chapter of his career.
