In just four weeks, one of the most anticipated British sporting clashes in modern history will finally take place when Anthony Joshua collides with Tyson Fury at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium on Friday, December 11. Broadcast live on Netflix at no additional cost to standard subscribers, the historic showdown carries monumental significance for the heavyweight division, with the vacant WBA (Super) heavyweight title on the line and the victor set to become only the fifth three-time heavyweight ruler in boxing history. Yet while fight fans and sports analysts across the globe have widely speculated that this long-awaited showdown could serve as the ultimate curtain call for both iconic heavyweights, Joshua appears to have vastly different plans for the remainder of his career inside the ring.
For nearly a decade, the lingering rivalry between Joshua and Fury has dominated heavyweight boxing headlines, capturing the imaginations of combat sports enthusiasts around the world. Both men have reached the pinnacle of the sport as two-time heavyweight world champions, securing unforgettable world title victories and establishing themselves as global marquee attractions. Despite their paths crossing repeatedly through heated verbal exchanges, public debate, and years of complex promotional negotiations, the two British superstars have never actually shared a ring as professional competitors. Because of the long narrative arc surrounding their rivalry, many observers viewed a clash on home soil as the ideal narrative ending for both fighters—a chance to settle a decade-long dispute, secure ultimate domestic bragging rights, add a third world title reign to their resumes, and retire at the absolute summit of the sport.
However, those expecting the 35-year-old Joshua to ride off into the sunset following his fight with Fury are mistaken. Speaking during an in-depth interview on the Politely Raw with Pacman Jones podcast, Joshua’s long-time promoter and Matchroom Sport chairman Eddie Hearn firmly squashed retirement speculation surrounding ‘AJ,’ revealing that the former two-time champion is intent on prolonging his career and pursuing further high-stakes battles, potentially extending his timeline toward 2027.
Hearn addressed the lingering retirement rumors directly, making it clear that while he cannot speak for Fury’s future intentions, Joshua’s appetite for elite competition remains entirely intact. "I can’t speak on Tyson’s behalf, but for [Joshua], he still wants to be in the biggest fights of the sport," Hearn explained on the podcast. The promoter went on to disclose that rather than plotting a graceful exit strategy, Joshua already has a specific high-profile target in mind for his future schedule—a high-risk revenge rematch against WBO heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois.
The desire for a second encounter with Dubois stems from one of the most surprising and dramatic nights in recent heavyweight history. In 2024, Joshua challenged Dubois at Wembley Stadium with Dubois’s IBF heavyweight championship on the line. In front of a massive crowd of over 90,000 spectators, Dubois delivered a breakout, career-defining performance, dropping Joshua multiple times before stopping him decisively in the fifth round. The loss presented a severe blow to Joshua’s quest to regain world title status, but according to Hearn, it also awakened a familiar fire in the former Olympic gold medalist to right what he views as a major professional wrong.
Hearn admitted that pursuing a second bout against a explosive knockout artist like Dubois carries immense inherent risk, but insisted that Joshua’s internal drive makes the fight an absolute priority for him down the line. "I’ve got to be honest with you, and I know it’s a very dangerous fight, but he wants to rematch Daniel Dubois," Hearn stated candidly. He outlined how Joshua’s mental approach to his boxing career relies heavily on accountability and rectifying past failures, making an unavenged defeat an unacceptable lingering scar on his official fight record.
Throughout his professional journey, Joshua has established a distinct operational pattern whenever he has suffered a setback inside the ring. Hearn pointed out that Joshua’s instinct following any career defeat has always been to seek an immediate opportunity for redemption against the man who beat him. "He’s a competitor, so he’s looking at that, and anyone who has ever beaten him, he’s rematched, apart from Daniel Dubois," Hearn highlighted. This steadfast commitment to facing his conquerors head-on has defined Joshua’s mentality throughout his career, making Dubois the singular missing piece in his pursuit of absolute competitive closure.
Expanding on Joshua’s mindset, Hearn emphasized that wanting to step back into the ring with Dubois is a natural extension of who Joshua is as a prizefighter. "He wants to have another go at Daniel Dubois, and this is second nature to him," Hearn revealed. "He wants to avenge that defeat. It’s a dangerous fight, but if he goes through Tyson Fury and stops Tyson Fury, then why not?" Hearn reasoned that if Joshua can navigate the immense hurdle of defeating Fury on December 11, his standing at the top of the heavyweight landscape will be thoroughly re-established, providing all the momentum needed to setup a mega-rematch against Dubois in the years ahead.
Before any future blueprints for 2027 can be brought to fruition, however, Joshua must first confront the immediate and colossal threat of Tyson Fury in four weeks’ time. The rivalry between the two British champions represents one of the longest-running operational sagas in modern boxing. For years, negotiations have faltered due to contractual disputes, political roadblocks within governing bodies, and unexpected ring results. The fact that the fight is finally taking place on Friday, December 11, at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium represents a landmark moment for British sports culture, providing the ultimate platform for both fighters to prove who reigns supreme in their decade-long rivalry.
The stakes attached to the Cardiff battle extend far beyond personal pride and regional supremacy. With the WBA (Super) heavyweight championship explicitly on the line, the contest offers both men a historic opportunity. The winner of the fight will secure their place in boxing history by becoming only the fifth fighter ever to become a three-time world heavyweight champion. Achieving such a feat would place the victor alongside an elite tier of heavyweight legends, cementing their historical legacy beyond any reasonable debate and adding immense prize value to an already lucrative encounter.
The event is also set to break traditional broadcasting norms through its unique global distribution. By streaming the event live on Netflix at no additional cost to standard subscribers, the organizers have eliminated the traditional pay-per-view barrier that typically accompanies heavyweight super-fights of this magnitude. This historic distribution arrangement guarantees that the December 11 clash will reach one of the largest global viewing audiences in combat sports history, amplifying the grandeur of the occasion as Joshua and Fury step onto the canvas under the closed roof of the Principality Stadium.
Hearn’s revelatory comments on Politely Raw with Pacman Jones shed valuable light on Joshua’s mindset entering this pivotal moment. Where many seasoned champions might view a massive stadium clash against their arch-rival as the logical climax of a grueling career, Joshua views the Fury fight as an essential gateway to even greater challenges. His willingness to look beyond a potential victory over Fury toward a dangerous, redemptive showdown with Dubois demonstrates a relentless competitive ambition that continues to drive his career forward.
As the four-week countdown to Cardiff begins, the narrative surrounding Anthony Joshua has taken on a fascinating dual focus. On one hand, he stands on the precipice of the biggest domestic fight in British boxing history, with the WBA (Super) title and a place as a three-time heavyweight ruler hanging in the balance against Tyson Fury. On the other hand, his promoter has made it clear that Joshua’s journey inside the squared circle is far from complete, with a fiery desire to avenge his fifth-round loss to Daniel Dubois firmly anchoring his long-term sights on 2027 and beyond.
