Anthony Joshua's promoter, Eddie Hearn, has suggested that the former world heavyweight champion could have anywhere between one and three fights left in his illustrious career.
The Watford powerhouse hasn't stepped between the ropes since suffering a fifth-round knockout loss to Daniel Dubois in September.
AJ was initially planning to return to the ring in May or June; however, an undisclosed upper body injury means he is yet to restart training properly.
As a result, Joshua's handlers are unable to pin down an exact date for his comeback.
“The next decision is really important, he’s got anywhere between one and three fights left," Hearn told the Independent.
"We’ve got to get it right, but he is 100 per cent fighting this year.
“He is definitely fighting in 2025, when I don’t really know because he’s probably got about two weeks before we can go back to training and start punching properly.
"That’s been the problem for him, but once he does that we can start thinking about a realistic date.
“We’re not really in any rush because the decision is so important. Obviously, in a dream scenario, Mr [Tyson] Fury just wakes up one morning and goes, ‘Yeah, we’ll give everyone the biggest fight in boxing.'
“Probably calls AJ and then they get a deal done on the phone, in five minutes.
"But, we can’t operate on that basis, so right now we are just looking to meet up in a couple of weeks and go through the options.”
If Joshua returns to full training in May, then Hearn affirms that a fight in August or September is realistic.
Recently retired Tyson Fury remains the main target, although the former two-time heavyweight champion is not short of options.
Hearn told talkSPORT.com in March that Joseph Parker, Deontay Wilder, Martin Bakole, Agit Kabayel, and Dubois also remain outsiders to box Joshua next.
Speaking exclusively to talkSPORT.com he said: "Daniel Dubois still [is the back up].
"In an ideal world, he will fight Fury, if not Dubois.
"There is also Joseph Parker, who I think would be a great fight, there is Agit Kabayel and Deontay Wilder, obviously, His Excellency (Alalshikh) has stated he would love to see that fight.
"We will have to see, but really the talks are imminent with AJ now to lock in that opponent for the summer."
