Eddie Hearn Sparks Buzz with Revelation of High-Stakes Talks for Anthony Joshua’s Next Showdown

Anthony Joshua, once regarded as one of the best and most dangerous heavyweights in boxing, appears interested in taking on a second crossover fight.

Joshua entertained a non-traditional boxing fight before, when he took on, and then finished, the former UFC heavyweight ruler Francis Ngannou in just two brutal rounds. Ngannou had previously shook up the world as he put Tyson Fury on the deck in a prior bout, but Joshua beat him with ease

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He has since lost in dramatic fashion to Daniel Dubois, and has held “discussions” about his comeback through his representative, Matchroom boss Eddie Hearn. Speaking to Pro Boxing Fans, Hearn revealed the full plans for Joshua’s next fight, and talked about the possibility of a potential bizarre showdown with Jake Paul.

Although it had seemed that boxing was finally going to deliver an anticipated all-British heavyweight showdown between Joshua and Tyson Fury, that is no longer happening due to the Gypsy King’s retirement. Hearn said that, although a fight against Fury is out of the picture for 2025, that is a fight they are going to target, regardless, going into 2026.

But, between now and then, bouts against Joseph Parker, Agit Kabayel or Martin Bakole seem logical. One that may not have seemed logical, is against Paul. But boxing is stranger than fiction.

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Hearn said the following to Pro Boxing Fans: “I was with His Excellency yesterday, obviously he’d met Jake Paul, I think he would like to do it, you know, but it’s mad enough to happen. It’s not something we expected.

“If it’s offered to us I would be shocked if AJ didn’t accept it, why wouldn’t you?”

Hearn added: “The plan for us is to fight Tyson Fury next year, if we can squeeze in Jake Paul along the way and you guys want AJ to end this whole process, he’ll gladly do it.”

With Turki Alalshikh seemingly keen on making Joshua vs Paul, it seems anything is possible and there is a real chance we see Joshua take on Paul, before he takes on ‘The Gypsy King’ in 2026.

Expect More “KO” As Anthony Joshua Conqueror Teases Comeback With Epic Body Transformation

Andy Ruiz Jr has slimmed down significantly in preparation for a return to the ring.

The Mexican-American puncher hasn’t boxed since last August when he was held to a disputed majority draw by Jarrell Miller in Los Angeles.

During the bout, Ruiz Jr sustained a fractured hand, which has kept him on the sidelines for the last 11 months.

However, he is now training and dieting again.

Taking to Instagram on Wednesday, Ruiz Jr posted a picture of some food prep, with the caption: “Gotta start now and only eat protein for 3 weeks.

“Getting ready before fight camp.

‘The Destroyer’ then followed up his post with a shirtless snap, devoid of his famous gut.

“Slow but surely,” he wrote underneath. “Work in progress…”

Ruiz Jr usually operates between 255lbs and 265lbs, but for his last bout with Miller, he came in at 274lbs – his second heaviest weight to date.

The 35-year-old looked sluggish and was fortunate to scrape a draw.

Yet judging from recent pictures, he looks to be boiling down to his ideal fight weight as he starts the arduous climb back to the top.

Ruiz Jr tipped the scales at 268lbs when he stunned the boxing world by snatching the unified WBA, WBO and IBF heavyweight titles from Anthony Joshua in June 2019.

The heavy underdog stepped in on five weeks’ notice to replace Miller after the American failed a trio of drug tests and dropped AJ three times en route to a shocking seventh-round knockout win.

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A rematch was then booked for December, and while Joshua took himself away from all of the external distractions and left no stone unturned in training, Ruiz Jr’s camp was less than ideal.

Ruiz Jr admits he spent three months partying and celebrating his career-best win, leading to 15lbs of weight gain.

The stocky boxer came in at a whopping 283.5lbs for their sequel and laboured to a wide unanimous decision loss.

“There’s no excuses. The partying got the best of me. The next fight is going to be a lot different.”

Ruiz Jr never got his trilogy bout with Joshua, despite his best efforts, while his career has stagnated since their second meeting.