Anthony Joshua is getting ready to return to the ring and his 2026 fight plan is beginning to take shape.<\/p>\n
Following a stoppage win over Jake Paul in December last year that, despite doing little for his standing in the heavyweight division, gained him significant interest in the US, Joshua was involved in a tragic car crash that claimed the lives of two close friends, Sina Ghami and Latif \u2018Latz\u2019 Ayodele.<\/p>\n
Though he escaped with minor injuries, it was unclear how the physical and mental toll would affect \u2018AJ\u2019s future inside the ropes. Now back in training with former rival Oleksandr Usyk, he has confirmed he will continue fighting. That means that talk of a fight against Tyson Fury \u2013 who returns this weekend in London \u2013 has resumed, but promoter Eddie Hearn recently confirmed to assorted media<\/a> that his charge will not be going straight in with \u2018The Gypsy King,\u2019 instead targeting another long-awaited fight in the interim.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is what I want. We need a warm-up fight before we fight Tyson Fury, because AJ\u2019s coming off an accident, he\u2019s rehabilitating his body\u2026 We\u2019ll take Deontay Wilder as that warm-up fight and then we\u2019ll fight Tyson Fury in December.\u201d<\/p>\n Joshua and Wilder were once in the position to fight for the undisputed title, but the fight failed to materialise on more than one occasion. With Wilder\u2019s recent win over Derek Chisora, this may be the best chance to make it happen before a retirement ends the prospect for good.<\/p>\n