Anthony Joshua left in hysterics as Paddy Pimblett takes down and ‘chokes’ boxer in training session

Paddy Pimblett showed Anthony Joshua exactly why he is arguably the UFC’s fastest rising star during a light-hearted training session.

The British pair are two of combat sports’ biggest names, with Joshua a commercial super power in boxing, while Pimblett is currently on a trajectory destined for the pinnacle of the UFC.

Despite their shared talents in combat sports, the two have rarely crossed paths, until now.

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As part of a sponsorship deal with Under Armour, the two were pit against each other in both MMA and boxing training as they showed each other their skills.

Pimblett first showed Joshua some of his wrestling and grappling skills, in particular the chokehold which he used to record career-best victory against Michael Chandler in May.

The Liverpudlian took down the giant heavyweight, who weighs over 230lbs, and quickly placed him in a choke hold.

Of course, it was playful and the pair were seen grinning during the exchange.

Joshua was flat on his back with Pimblett tightening the hold, before loosening the grip.

The British heavyweight was stunned, and replied: “That is mad innit? If you done that properly, I reckon I could get out.”

He then added: “First time I have been in the cage. I just said to myself, ‘this ain’t for me.'”

Proceedings next switched to Joshua, who then coached Pimblett on his boxing ability.

Joshua showed Pimblett a range of powerful combinations, which have seen him floor the likes of Wladimir Klitschko and Dillian Whyte during his illustrious career.

The Jiu-Jitsu specialist was keen to learn from AJ and sharpen up his striking, and the pair were grinning throughout their playful session.

What is next for Paddy Pimblett and Anthony Joshua?

For now, the pair are out of respective action and are waiting to officially confirm their next bouts.

They are at very different stages of their respective careers, with Pimblett awaiting a lightweight title shot.

‘The Baddy’ is trying to enforce an immediate clash with 155lbs king Ilia Topuria.

The bout could land in January when the dynamite-striking champion is set to return.

But Justin Gaethje could push to enforce his status as leading contender, and make the rising star wait.

As for Joshua, he is set to make his return imminently after an injury setback following his KO defeat to Daniel Dubois last year.

His exact date for a return has yet to be confirmed, with promoter Eddie Hearn suggesting he could first seek a run-out against lowly opposition before the end of the year.

But he has also been sounded out as a potential headliner for a mega-fight in Africa in February.

Irrespective of what happens, it is seen by Joshua and his camp as a last chance to try and reinstate his name in the world level mix.

Anthony Joshua will be back soon, honest!

It’s looking increasingly likely that he will fight by the end of this year, and a late December date in Ghana is under serious consideration.

However, there are a lot of reasons why a fight in Accra may not happen, and there are equally a lot of reasons why a fight before the end of the year makes sense. This would be the only year in the 12 years that Joshua has been a professional that he has not fought. He needs a fight: it is that simple.

The talk once again is of a showdown with Tyson Fury: a fight first seriously talked about in June 2020, when Fury announced it had been agreed. Fury, however, has talked about a third and final fight with Oleksandr Usyk, who last week claimed he would fight again in 2026. The very top of the heavyweight division is currently in hibernation; the big bears have gone to their lairs with their secret demands, prejudices and fears.

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Fury, Usyk and Joshua have all reached their peak during close to a decade of great fights, and right now, each of their final matches needs to be calculated with care: there is a lot at stake, and they all know that. There are men waiting for a golden opportunity, but the trio know that the riches are contained inside their triangle of conflict, their cosy little war.

“The problem is that there is no way Anthony Joshua can have a low-key fight anywhere in the world,” said Eddie Hearn with a smile and a shrug. “I know what he wants to do: he just wants to get out and fight.” Joshua last fought in September 2024, when he was stopped at Wembley Stadium, in front of nearly 95,000 people, by Daniel Dubois.

If Joshua does fight in December in Accra – or in California, which has also been mentioned – he will not, as Hearn hinted, be the main attraction; he will be a lively sideshow, and that will help him ease back. It is increasingly difficult for main event boxers to return from losses, especially crushing defeats, in low-key fights. The modern pattern is to return in a big rematch, but that is not currently an option. The other route is topping the bill in a main event of significance. Joshua, it appears, does not want the added and unnecessary pressure right now.

In 1991, less than five months after Nigel Benn had lost to Chris Eubank in their first fight – which shaped the future of British boxing – in Birmingham in November 1990, Benn was back in action on a Wednesday night at York Hall. Benn beat Robbie Sims in seven rounds, and there was a Marvin Hagler connection – Sims was his half-brother. It was the fight that Benn needed, a return away from the spotlight and the pressure. Joshua would, it seems, like something similar.

Joshua has been the absolute main attraction in massive fights since beating Dillian Whyte for the British title at the O2 in 2015; it was not his first main event, but it was the first of the big ones, the nights that left an impression. He has fought outside in front of 65,000 people on six occasions during 10 extraordinary years of dominance at the box office. There is, let’s be absolutely clear, nobody in British boxing history that can come close to matching Joshua’s numbers.

Joshua was in Accra in June this year, ringside at a fight, and he met with Ghana’s boxing king, Azumah Nelson. Nelson is Africa’s greatest fighter. It was a historic meeting, especially for a boxing scholar like Joshua. There was a lot of talk at the time, with renewed chat about Joshua’s desire to fight in Africa. He has talked openly about a fight in Nigeria, where his parents are from, for a long time.

Joshua knows his Rumble in the Jungle and has talked about wanting something similar. A fight as part of an undercard in December would not quite be the second coming of George Foreman and Muhammad Ali on that monumental African dawn back in 1974, but it would be a lot of fun. Also, it is worth mentioning that the Rumble took place about 2,100 miles away from Accra.

The fight might be announced soon, or it might just vanish, which would be a shame. Joshua fighting in Accra in late December, with Nelson ringside and a global audience fascinated by the distant echoes of the Rumble, would end the year in style. It would also be invaluable preparation for a swansong fight or two next year. In short, he would have the edge over Fury, who has not fought since last December. It would be a calculated move, and a smart one, but it would not be anonymous.

Anthony Joshua missed ‘mad money’ fight with knockout star as promoter reveals his big regret

Anthony Joshua may be in for a sizable return to the ring before too long, but it seems he still missed out on another lucrative outing.

Expected to make his return to boxing in the coming months, former two-time world heavyweight titleholder Anthony Joshua received a new update on his future recently, in a surprising move.

And constantly drawing ties to a pairing with fellow British star Tyson Fury, Joshua’s chances of taking on the Morecambe native in an overdue clash also took a notable hit earlier this week.

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However, according to his long-time promoter, Joshua had agreed to a “mad money” fight with another heavyweight from a prior generation, whom he claimed backed out of the clash.

Anthony Joshua missed out on lucrative Deontay Wilder clash

Another pairing Watford star Joshua has been forever linked to is a showdown with former WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder.

But according to Matchroom Boxing leader Eddie Hearn, it is not for lack of trying that the Brit has so far failed to secure a fight with the knockout star.

Even tied to a clash at the turn of the year, according to Hearn, “mad money” was tabled to Wilder in order to book a pairing with Joshua — in what the Dagenham native describes as the biggest fight he failed to broker.

“(Anthony) Joshua [versus] (Deontay) Wilder,” Hearn told IFL TV when asked about the biggest fight he failed to make. “We threw mad money at Wilder to take that fight. Al Haymon, everybody — DAZN, and we couldn’t get it over the line.

“…I don’t think the fighter ever ducks the fight,” Hearn continued. “I just think we didn’t get on — mainly Haymon. Our offer for that fight was huge.”

Deontay Wilder reveals date for boxing return

And still tied to a showdown with Joshua in his return to the ring, former world champion Wilder has been linked heavily with another cross-over pairing against an ex-UFC kingpin, too.

However, expected to take one more warm-up fight before potentially one final foray for a world championship, Wilder recently addressed his immediate future in the ring.

Snapping a two-fight skid earlier this summer, Wilder’s comeback to combat seems to line up with the impending comeback of Olympic hero Joshua, too.

Anthony Joshua’s return could snap interesting 10-year stat as promoter hints at new fight date

Anthony Joshua’s return to boxing has seen another twist in this seemingly never-ending tale.

Gearing up for his comeback to the ring for the first time since his stunning knockout loss to Daniel Dubois over a year ago, former two-time heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua has yet to land an opponent for the clash.

And linked most recently to a showdown with Russian giant Arslanbek Makhmudov off the back of his win over Dave Allen, Joshua seemed set for a 2026 return to action.

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However, in a new update, the Watford native may be returning sooner than expected, in a setting which would snap his lengthy spree.

Anthony Joshua may compete before 2026

In a new update from Matchroom Boxing leader Eddie Hearn, the Dagenham promoter revealed Joshua could feature as soon as the last months of 2025.

And to boot, according to the veteran boxing matchmaker, Joshua would be placed on the undercard of a potential end-of-year show.

If that were the case, Joshua would be fighting in a clash outside of a main event for the first time in 10 years, when he improved to 13-0 with a knockout of Kevin Johnson on the undercard of Kell Brook’s showdown with Frankie Gavin.

“All I’m saying is, if he (Anthony Joshua) fights this year, it will just be a ‘run out’ fight,” Hearn told IFL TV. “Because, coming back and fighting in a big arena, in a tough fight after being out for a year and a half, it’s not easy.

“And it ain’t about the money [in] this fight this year,” Hearn explained. “…It’s 50/50 if he fights this year, but if he will (sic), he’ll be added to a card. He won’t be headlining.”

Anthony Joshua picked to knock out ‘dangerous’ star.

Having shared the ring with the above-mentioned 6ft 5in Makhmudov, veteran British star Allen has weighed in a potential fight between the Russian and his compatriot.

And having trained with the Olympic gold medalist in the past, Allen raved over the power of Makhmudov.

But as far as he’s concerned, Joshua holds the tools to likely finish Makhmudov — early, in fact.

I think I’d pick (Anthony) Joshua to beat him (Arslanbek Makhmudov). I think Joshua will flatten him in a couple rounds. But he’s a dangerous guy though, so it’d be a good fight while it lasted,” Allen told Boxing King Media.

Anthony Joshua’s next opponent has been ‘confirmed’ and a ‘deal’ is supposedly in place for a big fight next year.

Joshua hasn’t fought since his crushing knockout defeat to Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium last year.

But a comeback is in the works, having undergone surgery on his elbow in May to correct an injury that had sidelined him from training.

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A bout in Africa has been mooted, with Nigeria and Ghana rumoured as countries to host a mega event, ahead of a potential all-British battle against Tyson Fury, who is expected to return to action next year.

A proposed clash against Fury would likely take place in the summer, paving the way for a tune-up at the start of 2026.

Several names have been linked with a fight against Joshua, including Martin Bakole and Tony Yoka.

But, according to Arslanbek Makhmudov, he has a ‘deal’ in place to fight Joshua next year, having beaten Dave Allen on Saturday.

Makhmudov beat Allen by unanimous decision in Sheffield to seemingly punch his ticket for a meeting against ‘AJ’.

Speaking after his hard-fought win, where he had two points deducted for holding, the towering Russian contender confirmed a fight with Joshua following talks on social media.

“I already have a deal with him,” he told Boxing News. “We spoke with him in Instagram. He said, ‘Okay go fight with Dave Allen and [we] fight next year’. He confirmed. Now it’s his turn.”

Makhmudov has won 21 of his 23 professional matches and is on a two-fight winning streak following his defeat to Guido Vianello last year.

What has Eddie Hearn said about Anthony Joshua?

Hearn has remained tight-lipped on who Joshua will return against, but he insists his client is hellbent on facing Fury.

A fight between Fury and Joshua could break all records in the UK given the profile of each men and their long-standing rivalry.

“It’s exactly what everybody wanted to hear,” Hearn said of Fury’s expected return to the ring. “The thing that AJ wants more than anything, is to fight Tyson Fury.

“That is the biggest fight in the sport… I’m hopeful.”

He added: “The only thing that is close to that level [for Joshua] is to win the world heavyweight championship again, which is a big motivation for him.”

Like Joshua, Fury also hasn’t fought this year. The ‘Gypsy King’ suffered a points defeat to Oleksandr Usyk last year.