Following his victory over Jermaine Franklin earlier this month, Anthony Joshua has stated that he will not return to the ring until the month of December.
The English heavyweight star has been connected with battles against Dillian Whyte and Tyson Fierceness following his consistent choice triumph over American Franklin at The O2.
However, Joshua posted a statement on social media that suggested a prolonged absence from the sport and appeared to have sustained a nose injury during the fight.
“My next battle is booked for December. It’s not perfect, but everything is a part of the bigger picture,” Joshua said in his Instagram story.
Oleksandr Usyk took Joshua’s unified WBA, WBO, and IBF heavyweight titles in 2021, and Joshua was unable to reclaim them when he lost his rematch with Usyk last year.
He declared, “I’m going to keep on pushing and plugging away” following Frankin’s victory. [Against Franklin], maybe I should have let my hands go more. Possibly this or that.
“That is all the previous now and all we can anticipate will occur from now on. It just feels good to be back and get things moving again.
The ladder is being climbed once more by us.
After battling to a points victory over Jermaine Franklin, Joshua demanded a heavyweight matchup with British rival Fury.
Joshua previously acknowledged that if Franklin had defeated him, he would have considered retiring. However, he promises that his passion for the sport will not waver.
I’m enthusiastic. Self-driven. Motivated. I’m free to do this as I please. I’m not compelled to run in the morning by anyone. It’s hard, he said. It can be hard at times.
“However, there is a part of you that says, “Come on, you’ve got to fight, and you’ve got to win.” You have to be honest with yourself as soon as you begin to lose that desire.
He is aware that moment will come for him at some point. He will have to stop at some point.
“There is no ticking timebomb that I could really let you know while it will explode. In any case, there’s a reality,” he said.
However, he remarked: We are still pursuing something, that is the reality I live in. I’m still working toward the goal.
I definitely have a lot of enthusiasm for the game. Still. for a myriad of reasons. I’m committed until it’s completed because the list is lengthy.