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Anthony Joshua set to retire in 2026, who should he face in final roll of the dice?
The heavyweight division is the strongest it has been in recent memory.
There is no doubt unified champion Oleksandr Usyk is the number one, with the Ukrainian looking to cement his status when he bids to become a two-time undisputed champion against IBF titleholder Daniel Dubois on July 19, live on DAZN PPV.
Underneath Usyk it’s a thrilling battle between the heavyweights to move further up the rankings with likes of Moses Itauma, Joseph Parker and Fabio Wardley to name a few.
However, there is one notable absent name, Anthony Joshua.
Joshua has not been seen inside a boxing ring since being knocked out by Dubois in the fifth round of their Wembley showdown in September.
A comeback was seemingly set for the first half of 2025. But with Joshua having surgery on a recent elbow injury, it’s likely he will lace up the gloves once more towards the end of the year.
Then on Tuesday night during an appearance on DAZN's Ariel x Ade: The Boxing Show, Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn hinted that Joshua could retire next year.
“2026 will probably be his last year in the sport. Thinking about it, it’s three fights away.” Hearn said.
So, with Hearn seemingly confirming that Joshua has three fights left this year, here is who the British boxing stalwart should face in his final roll of the dice.
Martin Bakole
Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing
This time last year Martin Bakole was a feared heavyweight and his knockout of the highly rated American in August saw him forced into the world title picture.
Then came 2025 and so far, Bakole’s stock has taken a significant hit with a knockout loss to Joseph Parker and then an underwhelming draw with Efe Ajagba which was met with criticism from many boxing voices.
With both Joshua and Bakole looking to revive their careers to set up a big 2026, this a contest which makes sense.
After seeing both men face off at the inaugural Ring Magazine awards in January, it got me excited. Joshua and Bakole are two heavy handed fighters who will look to prove that they can still mix it with the biggest names.
Despite the recent lacklustre performances from Bakole, he is still a 'boogeyman' at heavyweight, and for Joshua, a fight with the 33-year-old would be the perfect way to ignite a comeback and one final run at the big time.
However, Joshua cannot afford to cruise past Bakole on points, he needs to knock him out. If AJ is to get the attention of those big names in the heavyweight division, a knockout which sends shockwaves across the world is the only way to do it.
Deontay Wilder
Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing
With the world title picture a congested one, I personally believe that Joshua should opt to chase down the biggest non-world champions and make as much money as he can from this brutal sport.
If Joshua manages to get past Bakole, then kick off 2026 with a bang and finally lock in the long-awaited fight with Deontay Wilder.
The former WBC heavyweight champion is set to fight for the first time since being stopped by Zhilei Zhang later this month when he faces Tyrrell Anthony Herndon. If the ‘Bronze Bomber’ puts on a show with one of his trademark knockouts, then it will be now or never for Joshua to face the American in a contest which should have happened years ago.
Wilder has previous history with British heavyweights, his trilogy with Tyson Fury is regarded as one of the best series of contests in heavyweight boxing, and if Joshua can better Fury’s performances in his two wins and a draw, then it will set up a showdown for the ages in his final boxing outing.
Tyson Fury
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There should be no shock that Tyson Fury is on the list, and it should be Joshua’s final foray into the ring before hanging up the gloves.
At the time of writing, there is the huge caveat with Fury still stating that he is remaining retired, but surely a Battle of Britain with Joshua will be enough to convince ‘The Gypsy King’ to step into the ring one last time.
For Hearn, he sees two clashes with Fury would be the perfect way for Joshua to bring the curtain down in his successful boxing career.
“If I’m advising AJ, we’re back this year, we have two Tyson Fury fights, what else is there to do?
“Come back this year, beat Tyson Fury twice and then sail off into the sunset.”
A long awaited clash with domestic rival Fury is however a double edged sword for Joshua.
In my eyes, Joshua would be an underdog going into the contest, meaning a win would not only bring the perfect curtain down on an everlasting legacy, but also see himself crowned as the best British heavyweight of his generation.
On the other hand, a loss could inflict long lasting damage on Joshua's career. It will not be just Fury who would take every opportunity to mention his victory, but also boxing fans, who we know do not shy away from voicing their thoughts with a passion.
For British fight fans, a Joshua-Fury matchup would be generate plenty of excitement, but for Joshua, he will have to decide whether he wants the final bout of his career to be the most stressful since turning professional in 2013.
