Anthony Joshua in line for ‘huge' 2026… with Jake Paul and Tyson Fury double-header lined up
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ANTHONY JOSHUA could be set for a huge 2026 - with a blockbuster Jake Paul and Tyson Fury double-header lined up.
AJ has been out of the ring since last September when he was knocked out by Daniel Dubois at Wembley.
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Anthony Joshua could be set for a huge 2026
Credit: Getty
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Tyson Fury is set to return in 2026
Credit: Reuters
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Jake Paul is in shock talks to fight Joshua
Credit: Reuters
Elbow surgery in May has delayed his return - allowing for shock talks with YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul.
Fury retired in January but announced in July that he will come back to fight next year - with the hopes of a fight with Joshua.
Frank Smith, CEO of Eddie Hearn's Matchroom Boxing, talked up a mega 2026 for AJ with bouts against Paul AND Fury possible.
Smith said on talkSPORT: "2026 is going to be a huge year for Anthony Joshua.
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"It is a random fight with Jake Paul, but it is the biggest fight out there at the moment.
"Anthony Joshua vs Jake Paul on the global scale is bigger than Anthony Joshua vs Tyson Fury. That is the world we live in right now.
"The Tyson Fury fight is still a huge fight, and if he decides to come back from retirement, I'm sure that can also get made in 2026.
"AJ has done everything in the sport, he still has a lot more to offer but in this business people get written off.
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"I think you will see him in a great year next year in the biggest events possible.
"From a commercial perspective he's in the driving seat, AJ delivers the biggest numbers."
Jake Paul's team confirm Anthony Joshua fight talks and reveal potential date and venue
Fury, 36, retired after consecutive defeats to Oleksandr Usyk, 38, last year but told fans at a BoxPark event in July that he will return in 2026.
Paul is 12-1 in his career with his lone loss coming against Fury's brother Tommy in 2023.
He made his heavyweight debut in November when Mike Tyson controversially made a comeback aged 58.
Paul won on points over eight shorter two-minute rounds and returned to cruiserweight in June to face Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.
And he beat the former middleweight world champion over ten rounds - placing him 14th in the WBA's rankings.
Paul, 28, first called out Joshua, 35, on his podcast earlier in the year sparking a behind-the-scenes back and forth between the two.
And that spiralled into genuine talks with Paul's advisor Nakisa Bidarian meeting with AJ's promoter Hearn for talks in England.
And Smith added: "I think you have to respect what Jake Paul has done.
"He's not at the level of Anthony Joshua, and he keeps calling people and one day these fights will happen.
"This is the reality, and I think this could be the end of Jake Paul's influencer dreams of becoming a boxer.
"I don't think he can knock out AJ, but we shall see."
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