Eddie Hearn has revealed that Anthony Joshua is likely to retire from boxing at the end of 2026, when he will be 40 years old. The promoter suggested Joshua could have three more fights, including two against Tyson Fury, before hanging up his gloves.
Joshua, who turned professional in 2013 after winning Olympic gold at London 2012, has compiled a record of 28 wins from 32 fights. He has twice been unified world heavyweight champion, but suffered defeats to Oleksandr Usyk and most recently to Daniel Dubois, who knocked him out in the fifth round at Wembley Stadium last September.
An elbow injury has delayed Joshua's return to the ring, with surgery expected to sideline him for six to eight weeks. Hearn remains keen on a long-awaited clash with Tyson Fury, who retired in January but has hinted at a comeback.
“Probably 2026 will be his last year in the sport,” Hearn said on The Ariel Helwani Show. “If I'm advising AJ I'm thinking, 'We're back this year, two Tyson Fury fights, what else is there to do?'. For me, something feels right about beating Tyson Fury twice and then sailing off into the sunset.”
Hearn added that if Joshua is still performing at a high level in 2026, he may continue, but the current plan points to retirement after a potential rematch with Dubois or Usyk.
