Joshua, a former two-time world champion, has been inactive since suffering a fifth-round knockout to Daniel Dubois at Wembley last September. He declined an immediate rematch, opting instead to undergo elbow surgery, while Dubois subsequently lost the IBF belt to Oleksandr Usyk, who remains champion.
The decision leaves Joshua, previously ranked sixth, without a place in the governing body’s top 15. Meanwhile, Ajagba now sits third in the rankings, while Itauma has surged to fifth after his emphatic stoppage victory over Dillian Whyte last month. Dubois dropped to seventh, with veteran Derek Chisora ranked second.
Joshua’s return timeline remains uncertain. His promoter, Eddie Hearn, revealed the 35-year-old is unlikely to fight again in 2025, with early 2026 targeted for a comeback. “I don’t think there’s any value in us saying it will be in December,” Hearn said. “He’s back in training following an elbow operation. These big fights take time and every AJ event is massive.”
Hearn disclosed that talks are ongoing over a possible fight in Ghana, which could mark Joshua’s long-awaited return. “There has been an offer to do a fight there and I think it would be incredible for AJ to fight in Africa,” he noted, adding that January or February 2026 has been discussed.
Speculation had swirled about a potential clash with YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul, but Paul has since announced an exhibition bout with Gervonta Davis in November. According to Hearn, any Joshua-Paul fight will depend on how Paul emerges from that contest. “If Jake Paul gets chinned by Gervonta Davis, we can’t fight you,” Hearn said. “We have to wait and see.”
Despite the uncertainty, Joshua remains intent on one final career-defining contest. “Any fight he has next is likely to be a warm-up for that roll-the-dice fight,” Hearn added. “We hope, in an ideal world, that’s Tyson Fury. If not, it will be against one of the top five heavyweights.”