Overview

• Anthony Joshua has been removed from the IBF heavyweight rankings after a year out since his knockout loss to Daniel Dubois.
• Eddie Hearn says Joshua is targeting a tune‑up fight in January or February 2026 before a summer ‘roll of the dice,’ with Tyson Fury a leading target, while talks with Jake Paul are uncertain after Paul scheduled a November exhibition with Gervonta Davis.
• Joshua publicly reignited his rivalry with Fury, posting on Instagram that he will return "sooner than later" and hopes to "punch Fury’s head in."
• The WBO granted Oleksandr Usyk a 90‑day medical extension and ordered Joseph Parker vs Fabio Wardley on October 25 at London’s O2, with the winner positioned to face Usyk or be elevated if Usyk vacates.
• Usyk is set to play in a September 15 charity football match in Lisbon during his extension, drawing scrutiny even as the WBO said it was satisfied with his medical evidence.