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“50-50 chance Anthony Joshua fights in 2025.”

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Image: Eddie Hearn's Risky Plan to Resurrect Anthony Joshua's Career Against a Dangerous Tune-up Opponent

Eddie Hearn says there is “50-50” the chance that Anthony Joshua will be able to fight before the end of the year on the undercard in December.

This would be the first time in a decade, since 2015, that AJ would fight on the undercard. The standard of the opponent would obviously be very low and you have to respect Hearn and Joshua for choosing to headline this fight.

Understandably, Hearn is not willing to risk associating Joshua with a killer after a 15-month break and a brutal fifth-round knockout defeat to Daniel Dubois in September 2024. Despite three losses in his last seven fights, 2012 Olympic gold medalist AJ is still golden goose for Hearn’s Matchroom.

Makhmudov: The perfect enemy with risk and reward

The perfect enemy for Joshua would be Russian heavyweight Arslanbek Makhmudov. It’s gigantic, snail-paced, but powerful. He would be a decent enough fighter that the boxing public would be interested in fighting Joshua. But if this was a main event fight, fans would protest and pay to watch this farce.

Hearn drops the 50-50 bomb.

Matchroom promoter Hearn believes it would be “beneficial” for former two-time heavyweight champion Joshua (28-4, 25 KO) to clear the ring rust after a year of inactivity and get him ready for gigantic fights in 2026.

The two gigantic fights Hearn has planned for the 36-year-old Joshua next year:

The fight against “Fury” is still up in the air at this stage and will depend on whether the seemingly reluctant “Gypsy King” is willing to fight him. So far, Fury has resisted the pressure to fight Joshua in the ring. This is an ongoing phenomenon that has been going on for over a decade. Thanks to the $160 million Tyson has earned over his successful career, he has enough wealth to resist fan pressure to face AJ.

Riyadh or California? Two options

“It will probably be 50-50 for him to fight this year. If he ends up on the undercard somewhere, it will give him a chance to get back on the field and it will be very beneficial for his career,” said Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn. Ring Magazine about Anthony Joshua.

AJ should fight in December if he hopes to fight Fury in the first quarter of 2026. He will need training to aid him prepare for the great 6-foot-8 Tyson. Entering such a match after missing the ring since September 2024 would be a bad idea for Joshua.

“It’s December 13 in California. There’s also a gala in Riyad on December 27. It might not even be something we announce a few weeks in advance,” Hearn said of Joshua’s potential next fight before the end of 2025. “He’s in the gym, he’s staying ready, so we can say, ‘You’re out in two weeks in an eight-round fight.’

Last update: 22/10/2025

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Hall of Fame champion claims he would be the one to beat Terence Crawford: ‘I’m going to win’

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Hall of Fame champion says he would have been the man to beat Terence Crawford: “I’m going to win”

The star fighter, who has made an astonishing 15 defenses of his welterweight world title, supported himself in a fantastic showdown with Terence Crawford.

Many consider “Bud” to be one of the greatest welterweight champions of all time, considering his size undisputed triumph over Errol Spence Jr in 2023

He had previously won seven straight 147-pound world titles, all through stoppages, but he could only cement his position as top dog by dethroning Spence.

Not only did he defeat “The Truth” and win his three world titles, but Crawford secured a surprisingly one-sided defeat over nine rounds.

After that career-defining moment, the American became the undisputed three-division champion, moving up to 168 pounds to dethrone Canelo Alvarez.

However, at welterweight, Crawford managed to produce some of his best performances, perhaps striking the perfect balance between being vigorous and impressively fit.

Another man who has had considerable success at 147 pounds is, of course, Felix Trinidad, who reigned as the IBF world champion for almost seven years.

Two of his greatest victories came against Oscar De La Hoya and Pernell Whitaker, who both went on to create Hall of Fame careers in their own right.

It is therefore natural that “Tito” sees his chances in a direct fight with Crawford, saying: Fighting Hub TV that he would give “Bud” his only professional flaw.

“With all due respect to Crawford…Tito Trinidad – I will win.”

While no fighter has been able to answer Crawford’s mystery, it is equally safe and sound to say that the former five-division world champion has never faced someone like Trinidad.

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Robeisy Ramirez signed with Raizd Boxing after leaving Free Agency

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Image: Major Companies Failed To Sign Robeisy Ramirez

Raizd announced the deal on Instagram on Monday, posting: “Official: Robeisy ‘El Tren’ Ramirez signs with RAIZD BOXING. World-class addition. Former WBO World Featherweight Champion. Two-time Olympic gold medalist. Welcome to the team, Robeisy.”

For a startup that is still building its name, this is a robust impulse. For everyone else, it encourages questions. There has been no evident move from Zuffa Boxing, Matchroom Boxing, Golden Boy Promotions or other major teams that often pursue recognizable talent.

When a two-time Gold Medalist hits the open market and the Massive Four don’t pull the trigger. Raizd Boxing is basically a ghost ship right now. They are so modern that they haven’t even held their first event yet.

As for why the giants have stayed away, it probably comes down to a combination of time, shelf life and the ongoing business changes many of these companies are making.

At 126 pounds, 32 is on the older side. Promoters are notoriously wary of small-time fighters who have just had a career-changing break. Perhaps they would prefer to wait and see if he has anything left before signing him to an high-priced multi-fight contract.

While Dana White is finally taking action, Zuffa is aggressively targeting younger, buzz-worthy talent like Edgar Berlanga and Richardson Hitchins. Ramirez is 32 years aged and had a brutal knockout loss to Rafael Espinoza in December. Zuffa could see him as a veteran of damaged goods rather than a fundamental piece of their launch.

Ramirez may not have the same shine he had when he fled Cuba or when he beat Shakur Stevenson in the amateurs, but fighters with that kind of experience rarely hit the open market.

His recent form likely played a role. Ramirez is 14-3 with nine knockouts and has lost two of his last three fights, with both losses coming to Rafael Espinoza, including a stoppage in the rematch. At 32 years aged, he is no longer a long-term project that can be slowly developed.

Still, there is a clear advantage if handled properly. Ramirez remains a talented southpaw with the pedigree, experience and enough reputational value to quickly become relevant again at featherweight or above. If it combines wins, larger promoters may regret letting startup Raizd make the first move.

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Tim Bradley firmly predicts KO in Conor Benn vs. Ryan Garcia fight

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Tim Bradley makes emphatic KO prediction for Conor Benn vs Ryan Garcia

Hall of Famer Tim Bradley believes the welterweight clash between Conor Benn and WBC world champion Ryan Garcia will end decisively.

The two are in talks that could happen later this year, and Garcia also mentioned the possibility of a rematch with WBA world champion Rolando Romero.

In their first meeting in May 2025, Romero won a unanimous decision after defeating his fighter in the second round.

However, Garcia has since secured the WBC 147-pound title after dethroning Mario Barrios whom he dropped and passed unanimously in February.

This marks the 27-year-old’s first victory since 2023, when he edged Oscar Duarte in the eighth round before his controversial fight with Devin Haney.

Despite a majority decision advantage over Haney, that result was declared a no-contest in April 2024 after “King Ry” tested positive for the banned substance ostarine.

Benn also failed a 2022 drug test ahead of his canceled fight against Chris Eubank Jr, whom he ultimately defeated in a middleweight rematch last November.

This followed a points defeat to Eubank in April 2025, although earlier this month Benn remained in the win column, ahead of Regis Prograis, who subsequently announced his retirement.

However, despite his last fight at 150 pounds, the 29-year-old now wants to capitalize on his No. 1 ranking in the WBC and fight Garcia.

I’m talking to ESNEWSformer two-division world champion Bradley gave Benn little more than a prayer against Garcia.

“Ryan knocks him out.”

As the top contender for the WBC welterweight title, Benn is expected to be ordered to fight Garcia in the not-too-distant future, even if ongoing negotiations fail.

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