Anthony Joshua, the former heavyweight champ, is getting ready for his final fights after some tough losses and an elbow injury.
Joshua's career has been a rollercoaster. He knocked out his first 20 opponents and won his first world title in 2016. He then unified the division by beating Wladimir Klitschko and Joseph Parker. But things got rocky in 2019 when Andy Ruiz Jr shocked him at Madison Square Garden. Joshua bounced back and won the rematch that December.
More trouble came in 2021 when Oleksandr Usyk outboxed him. Joshua couldn't turn it around in the rematch a year later and lost his belts. Then in September 2023, Daniel Dubois stopped him in five rounds.
Now Joshua's dealing with an elbow injury. He's had shoulder surgery and will need about six weeks of rehab before he can start a full training camp. His team wants him back in the ring by the end of the year.
There's talk about who Joshua might fight next. Big names like Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder are in the mix. But there's also chatter about Martin Bakole and Zhilei Zhang.
Bakole, a top contender from Congo, has had a rough time lately. Joseph Parker knocked him out in February when Bakole stepped in as a late replacement. Before that, he drew with Efe Ajagbe in a fight many thought he could have lost.
Even with these setbacks, Bakole still wants to fight Joshua. He told iFL TV he's confident he can beat the former champ:
"Of course yeh, I will. For me, I think he's finished already. I will knock him out, I think so."
Bakole wants the fight to happen in Africa. He says "His Excellency" asked for it to give Africa some representation in big boxing matches.
While Joshua figures out his next move, there's also talk about Bakole possibly fighting Moses Itauma, a young heavyweight who's been knocking out opponents left and right.
