Overview

• UK Anti-Doping officers arrived unannounced during Joshua’s dinner with promoter Eddie Hearn in Dubai to conduct out-of-competition testing.
• Joshua appeared to provide a blood sample and later shared a photo showing a plaster on his arm, while Hearn posted a video of the visit.
• UKAD, working with the British Boxing Board of Control, can test licensed boxers at any time and requires athletes to keep updated whereabouts.
• Joshua has been inactive since a September 2024 knockout loss to Daniel Dubois and underwent elbow surgery earlier this year that pushed back his return.
• Hearn says plans are for a January–February 2026 tune-up against a top-20 opponent from a shortlist that includes Tony Yoka, with Ghana’s Accra Sports Stadium under consideration and a later push for Tyson Fury still envisaged.