Eddie Hearn believes Anthony Joshua will return to boxing ‘when time is right’

By Press Association Sport Staff

Promoter Eddie Hearn believes Anthony Joshua will return to boxing, but will let the former world heavyweight champion make any final decision once he has been given time to heal.

Joshua was involved in a car crash in Nigeria on December 29th, which killed his close friends Sina Ghami and Latif ‘Latz’ Ayodele and left the British fighter injured.

It sparked speculation as to whether Joshua will ever fight again, but Matchroom chief Hearn says those conversations are far from his mind and his main priority is to allow the 36-year-old the space needed to recover from the loss of two loyal members of his team.

Hearn told Sky Sports: “I think AJ, as we have seen in the past on boxing-related stuff, is always a brave-face guy, a very positive guy. This is very different to that and I know he will take his time.

“He will need his time physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually before he makes a decision on his future. I do think he will want to return to boxing, but that will be his decision when the time is right.

“It is certainly not a conversation I’ll be having with him any time soon. The only conversation is ‘are you OK?’ and sometimes we find people will give that facade of being OK, but what happened to him is not normal and heartbreaking for all involved.”

Joshua, who was born in Watford to Nigerian parents, was on holiday in the African country following his sixth-round knockout win over Youtuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul in Miami on December 19.

Talk quickly turned to a potential bout with long-term rival Tyson Fury, but Hearn expects his fighter to spend a “considerable amount of time” outside the ring.

He added: “Yeah I do and again that is not a conversation that anyone is comfortable having in terms of asking what could be next or what he is thinking.

“When the time is right, I believe he will make his decision and you will hear it from him. That is the only voice you should listen to in that respect and we’ll give him his time to make that decision and heal.”