Anthony Joshua: There is no talk about fighting again, says Eddie Hearn

Nearly a month has passed since a lethal auto accident involving Anthony Joshua – one that killed two of his best friends and team members, and that left the former two-time unified heavyweight champ recovering from his own physical injuries and emotional trauma.

It’s impossible to know exactly how soon is too soon, but already speculation has begun regarding if and when the 36-year-old Joshua will return to the ring. But on Saturday in Las Vegas, on the DAZN broadcast of the Raymond Muratalla-Andy Cruz card from the Fontainebleau as well as in a BoxingScene interview, Joshua promoter Eddie Hearn was asked those very questions.

“I was with him last week,” Matchroom’s Hearn told BoxingScene. “Obviously, physically, he's recovering. Emotionally and spiritually, he's recovering – and there's not really any talk about boxing, to be honest.”

Joshua was in Nigeria (where he has familial roots), near Lagos, on December 29 when a car in which he and friends Latif Ayodele and Sina Ghami were passengers collided with a cargo truck. Ayodele and Ghami were killed in the crash, and driver Adeniyi Mobolaji Kayode was charged with multiple crimes. Kayode’s case, initially scheduled for January 20, was adjourned until February 25.

“I mean, a lot of people ask me, ‘When is he going to fight again?’” Hearn said. “And the answer is, it's not even been discussed. I think it's one of those where you leave him to do what he needs to do at his time. And that is, like I said, to recover physically, to mourn, to look after the families of Sina and [Latif]. And then, if the time comes where he goes, ‘I'm ready,’ then he'll go back into training camp.”

Hearn said he believes Joshua, 29-4 (26 KOs), a 12-year pro and 2012 Olympic gold medalist, will eventually return to the sport. And although Joshua trains every day, those reps in the gym, according to Hearn, are more a form of therapy for the fighter than any indication of his imminent return.

If anything, Joshua is currently getting signals from his team to take things slow in his recovery. Interviewed on DAZN, Hearn acknowledged that Joshua had been cheating a bit by hitting pads against doctor’s orders.

“He shouldn't have been doing that,” Hearn said. “I mean, he got told off by the physio because he does have some injuries himself that he's getting over. So, yeah, I think he's one of those where you don't really push the boxing front. It's one for Anthony to return from. I think when the time is ready, if that time even comes again, it'll come through Anthony Joshua – it won't come through me and won't come for anybody saying, ‘What do you think? When do you think you want to fight again?’ It's got to come from within.”

Jason Langendorf is the former Boxing Editor of ESPN.com, was a contributor to Ringside Seat and the Queensberry Rules, and has written about boxing for Vice, The Guardian, Sun-Times and other publications. A member of the Boxing Writers Association of America, he can be found at LinkedIn and followed on X and Bluesky.