Anthony Joshua is getting ready to step back into the ring after nearly a year away. The former heavyweight champ is looking at a fight with Tony Yoka, an Olympic gold medalist, as he tries to get back on track.
Joshua's been out of action since last September. That's when Daniel Dubois stopped him in a tough fight. AJ was trying to become a three-time world heavyweight champ, but it didn't work out. The loss was a big setback for Joshua, and he's been recovering from a small elbow surgery since then.
Before the Dubois fight, Joshua was on a roll. He'd knocked out Otto Wallin, Robert Helenius, and Francis Ngannou. Now, he wants to get back to that form and make one last run at the top.
There's been talk about Joshua fighting Jake Paul or Deontay Wilder. Some fans even hope Tyson Fury will come out of retirement for a big British showdown. But it looks like Yoka might be the pick for Joshua's comeback fight.
Spencer Oliver, a former European champ, thinks it's a good match-up. He told talkSPORT Boxing:
"I think that is a great possibility. We get two Olympic gold medalists going at it. Tony Yoka is trying to rekindle his career. He went through a bad patch losing to the likes of Carlos Takam. He's won his last three now. He last boxed in May. He's very much on a rebuild as is AJ, doesn't it makes sense, two Olympic medalist going at it. It would be a great fight, a sellable fight, and I'd love to see it."
Yoka, who's 33 and from France, won gold at the 2016 Olympics. He turned pro in 2017 and has beaten guys like Dave Allen and Christian Hammer. But he hit a rough patch with three losses in a row to Martin Bakole, Carlos Takam, and Ryad Merhy.
The French heavyweight has bounced back, winning his last three fights. He's been training with Don Charles, who also coaches Daniel Dubois.
This fight could be just what both boxers need to get back on track. It's a chance for Joshua to show he's still got it, and for Yoka to prove he can hang with the big names in heavyweight boxing.
