Anthony Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, has confirmed that the former two-time heavyweight champion is set to make his highly anticipated return to the ring in 2025.

The announcement comes in the wake of Joshua’s devastating loss to Daniel Dubois, a fight that derailed his bid to reclaim his position as a dominant force in the boxing world.

Joshua, who turned 35 on October 15, is at a crossroads in his illustrious career. While some speculated the defeat might signal the end of his journey in professional boxing, Hearn dismissed any talk of retirement, reaffirming that the British-Nigerian remains committed to continuing his career.

“Anthony loves boxing; he’d fight forever if he could,” Hearn said.

The 2012 Olympic gold medallist entered 2023 with renewed vigour, securing four straight wins and looking poised to challenge for heavyweight supremacy once more. However, his encounter with Dubois in March 2024 proved a stumbling block. A brutal loss—following a first-round knockout victory over Francis Ngannou—reset the trajectory of his comeback.

Speaking on the loss, Hearn acknowledged the need for Joshua to regroup both mentally and physically. “After fighting four times in less than a year, Anthony needs to recharge. He’ll resume camp in January 2025, which sets him up perfectly for an April or May return to action,” he explained.

Hearn made it clear that Joshua’s return would not include tune-up fights.

“At this stage in his career, Anthony doesn’t need warm-ups,” Hearn said.

“He’s going straight in. There’s no appeal in smaller fights; it’s about making the big ones happen.”

This approach contrasts with Joshua’s previous rebuilding phase, following consecutive losses to Oleksandr Usyk in 2021 and 2022. Then, he fought Jermaine Franklin and other lower-ranked opponents to regain confidence. Now, with time not on his side, Hearn believes Joshua’s focus must shift exclusively to marquee matchups.

Despite recent setbacks, Joshua remains one of boxing’s biggest draws, both in the UK and globally. His ability to pack arenas and generate pay-per-view interest ensures he will continue to be a key player in the heavyweight division.

The next steps for Joshua largely hinge on the availability of Tyson Fury and Dubois. Fury’s bout with Usyk and Dubois’ February title defence will determine how soon negotiations can begin for either fight.

Four Nigerians have been nominated in multiple categories of the 2024 FIFA Best awards.

Ademola Lookman, Wiliam Troost-Ekong, Paul Onuachu and Asisat Oshoala were among the nominees announced by FIFA on Friday.

Lookman, who ranked 14th in the 2024 Ballon d’Or ceremony, was shortlisted in the Best Attacker category alongside Vinicius Junior, Lamine Yamal, Bukayo Saka, Erling Haaland, Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, among others.

Troost-Ekong will compete in the Best Defender category against Dani Carvajal, Antonio Rüdiger, William Saliba, Achraf Hakimi, Manuel Akanji, Jonathan Tah and many more.

Onuachu was named among the best goals up for the Puskas Award for his sumptuous bicycle-kick strike in the colours of Trabzonspor against Konyaspor in the Turkish Super League in November 2023.

Oshoala was nominated for the newly introduced Marta Award for the best goal in women’s football. The 30-year-old’s acrobatic strike for Barcelona Femeni against Benfica in the women’s Champions League in November 2023 got the nod.

Rodri and Vinicius will again go against each other for the men’s best player award. The duo were nominated alongside nine other players, including Jude Bellingham, Mbappe, Toni Kroos and Federico Valverde.

Rodri was crowned the 2024 Ballon d’Or winner in October, a decision that was met with mixed excitement and criticism from fans and footballers alike.

Votes for the 2024 FIFA Best awards will be weighted equally between fans and an expert panel. Fans can cast their votes on the FIFA website until 10 December 2024.

FULL LIST

The Best FIFA Women’s Player nominees

Aitana Bonmati (Spain), Barcelona
Barbra Banda (Zambia), Shanghai Shengli/Orlando Pride
Caroline Graham Hansen (Norway), Barcelona
Keira Walsh (England), Barcelona
Khadija Shaw (Jamaica), Manchester City
Lauren Hemp (England), Manchester City
Lindsey Horan (USA), Olympique Lyonnais
Lucy Bronze (England), Barcelona/Chelsea
Mallory Swanson (USA), Chicago Red Stars
Mariona Caldentey (Spain), Barcelona/Arsenal
Naomi Girma (USA), San Diego Wave
Ona Batlle (Spain), Barcelona
Salma Paralluelo (Spain), Barcelona
Sophia Smith (USA), Portland Thorns
Tabitha Chawinga (Malawi), Paris Saint-Germain/Olympique Lyonnais
Trinity Rodman (USA), Washington Spirit

The Best FIFA Men’s Player nominees

Dani Carvajal (Spain), Real Madrid
Erling Haaland (Norway), Manchester City
Federico Valverde (Uruguay), Real Madrid
Florian Wirtz (Germany), Bayer Leverkusen
Jude Bellingham (England), Real Madrid
Kylian Mbappe (France), Paris Saint-Germain/Real Madrid
Lamine Yamal (Spain), Barcelona
Lionel Messi (Argentina), Inter Miami
Rodri (Spain), Manchester City
Toni Kroos (Germany), Real Madrid (now retired)
Vinicius Jr (Brazil), Real Madrid

The Best FIFA Women’s Coach nominees

Arthur Elias (Brazil), Brazil
Elena Sadiku (Sweden), Celtic
Emma Hayes (England), Chelsea/USA
Futoshi Ikeda (Japan), Japan
Gareth Taylor (England), Manchester City
Jonatan Giraldez (Spain), Barcelona/Washington Spirit
Sandrine Soubeyrand (France), Paris FC
Sonia Bompastor (France), Olympique Lyonnais/Chelsea

The Best FIFA Men’s Coach nominees

Carlo Ancelotti (Italy), Real Madrid
Lionel Scaloni (Argentina), Argentina
Luis de la Fuente (Spain), Spain
Pep Guardiola (Spain), Manchester City
Xabi Alonso (Spain), Bayer Leverkusen

The Best FIFA Women’s Goalkeeper nominees

Alyssa Naeher (USA), Chicago Red Stars
Ann-Katrin Berger (Germany), Chelsea/NJ/NY Gotham
Ayaka Yamashita (Japan), INAC Kobe Leonessa/Manchester City
Cata Coll (Spain), Barcelona
Mary Earps (England), Manchester United/Paris Saint-Germain

The Best FIFA Men’s Goalkeeper nominees

Andriy Lunin (Ukraine), Real Madrid
David Raya (Spain), Arsenal
Ederson (Brazil), Manchester City
Emiliano Martinez (Argentina), Aston Villa
Gianluigi Donnarumma (Italy), Paris Saint-Germain
Mike Maignan (France), AC Milan
Unai Simon (Spain), Athletic Club

The English Premier League has unveiled the official dates for the 2025/26 season in a statement released late Friday.

The new campaign will kick off on Saturday, August 16, 2025, with the final match round slated for Sunday, May 24, 2026, ensuring a thrilling season from start to finish.

In a move designed to prioritise player welfare, the league has made significant changes to the festive period schedule.

The announcement, obtained from the EPL website, titled “Dates for 2025/26 Premier League season confirmed,” emphasises a renewed commitment to player welfare, particularly during the congested festive period.

For the first time, no two match rounds will take place within 60 hours of each other, addressing long-standing concerns about the congested holiday fixture list.

Furthermore, no matches will be held on Christmas Eve in 2025, a decision likely to be welcomed by players and fans alike.

The release read, “The schedule continues to allow more rest time for players over the festive match-round period, with no two rounds taking place within 60 hours of each other.

“This is in keeping with commitments made to clubs to address the congested Christmas and New Year schedule.”

Key Highlights:
The season spans 33 weekends and five-midweek match rounds, providing an evenly distributed calendar.
The 16 August start date guarantees 83 days of rest for players following the conclusion of the 2024/25 campaign.
The May 24 end date ensures the league concludes ahead of the FIFA 2026 World Cup call-up period, offering players ample preparation time for the global tournament.
This strategic scheduling, according to the statement, underscores the Premier League’s commitment to maintaining a competitive edge while protecting the well-being of its players.

Fans can now mark their calendars as the countdown to another unmissable season begins!

“The 2025/26 season will consist of 33 weekends and five midweek match rounds.

“The start date of August 16 allows for the maximum player rest time available—83 clear days—from the end of the 2024/25 season.

“The season end date of May 24 2026 ensures the Premier League season finishes ahead of the FIFA 2026 World Cup call-up period.

“There will be no fixture on December 24, 2025,” it concluded.