Anthony Joshua urged to retire by former world champion Johnny Nelson

Joshua is set to return to the ring next year, but he has been urged to reconsider his plans

Former world champion Johnny Nelson has advised Anthony Joshua to abandon his comeback plans and retire from boxing.

Joshua has not fought in the last 12 months after being brutally knocked out by Daniel Dubois at Wembley last September.

He is expected to return to the ring in late 2025 or early 2026 for a tune-up fight ahead of a potential domestic clash with Tyson Fury next summer.

But Nelson, who held the WBO cruiserweight title between 1999 and 2006, wants Joshua to walk away from the sport for good.

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“Coming from a place of love, I think Anthony Joshua has got nothing else to prove in this game and he should rather walk away than hang about and wait for someone to turn him over,” Nelson told talkSPORT.

“It’s either him and Tyson Fury, which we’re all sick of. Is it happening or isn’t it happening? Or just walk out of here. He’s a very comfortable, wealthy man.”

Joshua suffered the fourth loss of his professional career against Dubois as he was dropped on multiple occasions before finally being stopped in the fifth round.

Anthony Joshua last fought 12 months ago (Bradley Collyer/PA) (PA Archive)

He was heavily linked with a lucrative fight with Jake Paul earlier this year before the YouTuber-turned-boxer opted to take an exhibition bout with Gervonta Davis instead.

Joshua is now looking for an alternative opponent as he seeks a confidence-boosting win, with his promoter Eddie Hearn insisting the two-time heavyweight champion wants one more “roll of the dice” before hanging up his gloves.

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Nelson is concerned Joshua’s comeback could go badly wrong, though, and has urged him to reconsider his boxing future.

On the possibility of Joshua coming back and being beaten by a lesser opponent, Nelson added: “I wouldn’t want to see Anthony Joshua leave his career like that.”

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