Anthony Joshua names the exact date he will retire from boxing

Anthony Joshua revealed when he is planning to retire from boxing.

Joshua’s rise to the sport's summit was electric, while his renaissance in the past year has been just as thrilling.

The heavyweight, who lost his WBF and IBA titles on two occasions, is trying to reclaim the belts for a third time.

To do so, however, he will need to wait for Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk’s much anticipated heavyweight bout on May 2024, and their possible rematch, which would likely take place in 2025.

That would give Joshua little time to enjoy a fairytale conclusion to his career, with the Watford-born heavyweight having admitted he plans to retire after he turns 37 in 2026.

Speaking on his retirement plans on the Jonathan Ross show via Marca, Joshua said: "I've always said 35. I'm 35 in October, I'm thinking another two years or so if my body holds out.

“I've set up certain businesses that I can transition into naturally which don't rely on me being at the forefront.”

Joshua also admitted he still has his eye on the winner of Fury and Usyk, but stressed he needed to be “patient”.

“My next opponent will be around September is when I've been told,” Joshua continued. “I was hoping for June. I've got some time to go on dates now and mingle a little bit.

Joshua wants to return to the summit of heavyweight boxing (Getty)

“I'm training at the minute, I've got two months before I get into training camp.

“I think what they're saying is be patient because you've got Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk [fighting] for all the belts and then once that's done hopefully I can kick down the door and get my opportunity."

In the aftermath of Joshua’s emphatic victory over Francis Ngannou, Matchroom Sport chief Eddie Hearn insisted Joshua has returned to being the best heavyweight in the world.

“If we won this fight then he would fight the winner of Fury vs Usyk,” Hearn said. “You're looking at the number one heavyweight in the world.

“Tyson Fury please beat Usyk because you will get the biggest fight in the history of the sport. As a fighter, he's an inspiration to young people.”

Topics: Anthony Joshua, Boxing, Tyson Fury, Oleksandr Usyk, Eddie Hearn

Chris Byfield

Sport journalist with experience writing on football, rugby, boxing and the Olympics. I'm also a Crystal Palace fan. Please don't hold this against me.