Anthony Joshua is in discussions for a potential two-fight deal starting this year with big rivals rumoured to step in.
AJ has been sidelined with an injury this year, with surgery on the injured elbow completed in May.
While the 35-year-old has not been able to train in the ring outside of it he has been plotting a return.
At the start of May, he spoke with ESPN Mexico to confirm a targeted December return after he finished recovery.
Most recently though, NoSmoke Sport reported that Joshua negotiating a three bout contract with Riyadh Season.
But Eddie Hearn shot down the rumour of a three-fight deal to Boxing Scene.
He said: “Yeah, that’s not true, we are actually discussing a two-fight deal with Riyadh Season.
“We’ve been doing that, (Turki Alalshikh) said that on the night of Canelo (vs. William Scull, May 3), when we had our meeting, and that’s the plan really.
“We want to box sometime this year, October, November, December.”
Big rivals considered for Joshua
The former unified heavyweight champion has not been between the ropes since his fifth-round knockout loss to domestic rival Daniel Dubois.
Now the IBF champion will be heading for a second straight Wembley clash this time against unified champion Oleksandr Usyk.
Hearn has insisted they are keeping a close eye on that contest and a retired foe.
“We’ll see what happens with Dubois-Usyk, we’ll see what happens with Fury,” he said.
“And if we don’t fight those guys, we’ll fight, and then maybe we’ll follow one of those guys next year.”
While rumours circulated of a Joshua return, reports of Tyson Fury coming out of retirement also started to spread.
However, hopes of British fight fans were soon dashed when the Gypsy King took to his Instagram to dispel this claim.
He said: “I hear a lot of talk about the Gypsy King returning to boxing and I ask this question: for what? What would I return for? More belts? I’ve won 22 of them.
“I’m in no rush at all, to come back to boxing and get my face punched in.
“I am retired and I am staying retired. I have nothing to prove to anybody and nothing to return for.”
Other interesting names discussed
While those listed would bring the most eyeballs, it is unlikely he will be thrown back into the deep end.
Instead, the names circulating on social media have been that of Jared Anderson and Dillian Whyte.
Both were confirmed by Matchroom’s head as being on the table.
Hearn explained: “Two guys that have been discussed, but nothing concrete.”
The American Anderson made his comeback in February this year with a unanimous decision win over Marios Kollias.
Before this, he was knocked out heavily in the fifth round by Martin Bakole in Los Angeles.
Whyte is no stranger to the Watford fighter as he lost by a seventh-round TKO in 2015.
Previously the two were scheduled to match up again on Joshua’s comeback trial but the fight was pulled due to the ‘Bodysnatchers’ failed drug test.
The 37-year-old is now confirmed to return in June on the Fabio Wardley vs Justis Huni undercard.
Featured image credits to Embed from Getty Images
