Anthony Joshua is looking to plot his way back to the top of the heavyweight division one more time.

Joshua has been a huge star on the world scene over the last decade. His journey started soon after winning a gold medal in the London Olympics and he rose quickly through the pro ranks, collecting world honours on the way.

His first title came in 2016 when he beat Charles Martin inside two rounds for the IBF belt, and then unified against Wladimir Klitschko in an epic battle at Wembley Stadium which involved both men being knocked down.

READ: Anthony Joshua gets big Ring Magazine heavyweight rankings boost without throwing a punch

He added the WBO title with a points win in 2018 when he was taken the distance for the first time by Joseph Parker, and since then there have been plenty of ups and downs.

In June 2019 he took his first loss when he was stopped by late stand-in Andy Ruiz, but won the belts back in a rematch later that year.

In 2021 and 2022, he went into back-to-back fights with Oleksandr Usyk and came out with no belts after losing both contests on points.

Following another rebuild he went into another world title shot against Daniel Dubois in September 2024 but was stopped inside five rounds, and is currently on the sidelines waiting to make his next move.

Speaking to The Ariel Helwani Show, it was put to Parker, who is the interim WBO champion, that a Joshua rematch was a good option now given that Usyk and Dubois are likely to pursue an undisputed fight.

“Let’s push for it. I agree. As we focus on my career, I think those three names will be next in line. I think [Joshua] would accept the fight with me. It would be a very different fight to 2018. We’re both older, maturer, wiser. The fighter that I was before, sometimes I look back and go ‘who is that guy?’”

Whoever beats Parker – who recently knocked out late replacement opponent Martin Bakole in two rounds – will become the WBO number one and first in line for a shot against current champion Usyk.

The one fight Joshua and the rest of the boxing world wanted to see was against Tyson Fury, but he retired at the end of January after his own pair of losses to Usyk.

Anthony Joshua knows the ‘menace’ of Joseph Parker and will not want a rematch, says the New Zealander’s promoter David Higgins.

Joshua was watching from ringside as Parker produced a ruthless knockout victory over Martin Bakole, who stepped in as a replacement opponent after Daniel Dubois was ruled out through illness.

Parker’s promoter Higgins believes the Dubois vs Parker fight might not be rescheduled, but has raised doubts about whether Joshua will instead take a rematch with the Kiwi.

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“Joe would jump in with AJ in heartbeat but I reckon AJ wouldn’t take the fight,” Higgins told Sky Sports. That’s my view.

“I think AJ is a nice guy and he’s had a good career but I think in recent times he hasn’t looked comfortable in the ring, particularly in that last fight. He didn’t want to be there.

“The way that Joseph is fighting, it would be a very risky call by him and his handlers to jump in the ring with Parker. Most boxers take the lower risk option, except for Joseph Parker. He takes the highest risk and the toughest option.”

Parker was beaten on points by Joshua in their first fight in 2018, but the former WBO world champion is enjoying the most impressive spell of his career, with recent wins over Deontay Wilder, Zhilei Zhang and Bakole.

“I think fight by fight, the last three, Joseph is establishing more credibility, more menace and fight by fight, they will all be going, ‘This fighter is dangerous.’

“After the other day, they’ll all be going, ‘He really is dangerous.”

“We’ll see what happens next. We’ll wait and see what the Saudi authorities and Queensberry offer next and we’ll go from there.

“Joseph would like to get back in the ring as soon as possible. Four months. He doesn’t mess around, he just wants to keep going.

“Anywhere, it would be ideal in the summer.”

The WBO announced Parker as the mandatory challenger for Oleksandr Usyk after his win over Martin Bakole.

But Usyk, who has confirmed that he will retire after two more fights, is expected to take a rematch against Dubois for the undisputed world heavyweight titles.

“I think that [unification] makes sense, because unification establishes the no 1 boxer,” said Higgins.

“That’s the way it should be. As much as we’d like the Dubois fight next, I think unification is good for the sport and I would expect that to happen.

“There would be a lot of money and there’s a lot of glory, but egos and politics get in the way.

“If it falls over, Joseph will be front of the queue to fight either Dubois or Usyk and would happily come to the ring with either of them in two months’ time.”

Anthony Joshua gave an intriguing reply when asked about his future in the ring while attending the light heavyweight title fight between Dmitry Bivol and Artur Beterbiev. 

Joshua, 35, made the comments in an interview while was sitting ringside for The Last Crescendo in Saudi Arabia on Saturday night.

Bivol’s victory over Beterbiev came courtesy of a majority points decision, with the judges scoring the bout 114-114, 116-112 and 115-113 in favour of Bivol.

READ: Anthony Joshua Shares Honest Reaction To Joseph Parker’s Devastating Stoppage Of Martin Bakole

His win also means he claims the WBA, WBC, WBO and IBF titles as the undisputed champion in his division – avenging his loss to the same opponent back in October.

Prior to the fight, Joshua was asked about his own return to action, having not featured since his loss to Daniel Dubois in the world heavyweight title fight at Wembley last autumn.

When questioned on his future, Joshua said: ‘More fights, this is my life, this is what I do. Right now I sit outside and I watch and then I’ll make my return one day.

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‘I sit back as a fan and watch the great people in the sport I love.’

His comments come after Joshua was reportedly not considered as a late replacement option for Dubois – who pulled out of his scheduled undercard fight with Joseph Parker due to illness.

While Joshua’s boxing future remains unclear, speculation has increased over his potential retirement from the sport.

This week, promoter Eddie Hearn said he believes that the heavyweight will contest ‘two fights, three fights max’.

Speaking to talkSPORT, Hearn said: ‘The plan and the goal for Anthony Joshua, always, from now to the moment he retires, is to try and win the world heavyweight championship. To try and become a three-time world heavyweight champion.

He added: ‘So, of course, the other fight, which we know at the moment is not available, is Tyson Fury, he wanted that fight.

‘But, if you said to AJ, “what do you want to do most next?” He would say, “I want to fight the winner of Dubois/Parker. I want another shot at a World Heavyweight title.”‘

As a result of the Parker vs Dubois fight not taking place due to the latter’s absence, Parker will have to wat for his chance to become a world champion again.