Anthony Joshua to have surgery on injury in worrying delay to comeback fight amid talk of Tyson Fury showdown
ANTHONY JOSHUA will have to wait to return to the boxing ring after he revealed he is set to undergo surgery.
AJ has not fought since he was knocked out by Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium last September.
The two-time heavyweight world champion has not been able to resume full training due to an injury which has left him “unable to punch properly”.
And amid fight rumours of a long-awaited showdown with Tyson Fury, Joshua will now be forced to put those plans on hold.
Speaking to Dazn, he said: “When do you want me back, people?
“I’m trying to get my body right. I have got to actually have a little surgery on my elbow.
“A small surgery sometime in May. I’m finalising the details.
“That will see me out of the gym for maybe six to eight weeks, and then when I’m healed, I will be back.”
Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn had hoped to get Joshua back for June or July, but his injury means those hopes have been dashed.
If surgery goes well, the 35-year-old could be in contention to fight at the end of the year.
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And Joshua has said he would be more than willing to finally take on the Gypsy King, despite him being dethroned twice by Oleksandr Usyk.
Fury himself has been seen back in the gym training with SugarHill Steward after retiring for a fourth time after his second defeat to Usyk.
On the prospect of a fight, Joshua told the Daily Mail: “We’ll save that conversation for another time.
“I think what we’ll do for the viewers at home is go back over the years and find the same answer for the same question.
“Same same, nothing changed.”
On his recovery, he added: “My body has been through the works innit.
“If I want to be here for the long time I just want to make sure my body is really really good before I get back into the ring.
“Sooner than later. I’m still training but I’m just kind of rebuilding.
“What it is basically… to be good is not enough in boxing, if you want to be a world champion you’ve got to be great.
“Throughout the last year or so, especially my last fight I was good but not great.
“To be a champion you gotta be ‘on your s***’ basically and I need to step my game up.”
Meanwhile, Joshua’s two former rivals Usyk and Dubois are set to face off in an undisputed heavyweight title match in July.