Anthony Joshua's next opponent after his upcoming blockbuster fight with Jake Paul may have already been decided.
Early on Saturday morning, British boxing legend Joshua will make his long-awaited return to the boxing ring at Miami's Kaseya Cente.
It marks the first time that the two-time unified heavyweight champion will step into the ring since his devastating knockout loss to fellow British heavyweight Daniel Dubois in September 2024.
However, he won't be returning to face another top-ranked heavyweight boxer, as he instead will face YouTuber-turned-boxer Paul in a eight-round comeback fight.
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But ahead of the bout with Paul, reports have suggested that Joshua has already lined up his next fights in 2026, and it includes one that fans have been demanding for a long time.
Given the massive difference in experience between the pair, Joshua, who weighed in nearly two stone heavier than Paul, is a massive favourite for the fight.
Naturally, this has led to many fans and pundits considering what will be next for Joshua, assuming that he can comfortably get past Paul on Saturday.
But according to combat sports expert Ariel Helwani, Joshua's next opponent may have already been decided, with a clash with fellow Brit Tyson Fury coming later in the year.
During a live show hosted in Miami, Helwani revealed: “They talked about Tyson Fury vs AJ, there’s a fight on the table for AJ to fight on February 14.
“But he has to get by Jake [Paul] first and it’s a very out of left-field fight."
Despite teasing the exciting and hard-to-predict opponent, Helwani reiterated that his lips were sealed and he would not be revealing who Joshua could face next in just two months time.
However, Helwani suggested that fans may not have to wait long to find out who this mystery opponent is, as he expects Joshua to call him out on Saturday morning, should be come through Paul.
“I don’t wanna be that guy to be like ‘I know something that you don’t’, but I was sworn to secrecy," he added.
“There’s a left-field fight that if AJ wins tomorrow night, I wouldn’t be surprised if he grabs the mic and calls this guy out.
“Remember this when I ask him who’s next if he wins tomorrow.”
Helwani's report comes just days after various outlets confirmed that the current plan is for both Joshua and Fury to have one fight at the start of 2026 before eventually fighting each other later in the year.
Topics: Anthony Joshua, Jake Paul, Boxing, Tyson Fury, Ariel Helwani, Heavyweight Boxing
Ben McCrum