Anthony Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn says the former world boxing champion’s career will be over if he loses his April 1 fight.
Joshua lost back-to-back fights against Oleksandr Uysk, to whom he also lost his world heavyweight titles.
It was also the third loss in five for the boxer, having been beaten by Andy Ruiz Jr. in the first of their two match-ups.
On April 1, the 33-year-old will be stepping back into the ring for a comeback against a “credible opponent”, who has not been named.
The bout scheduled for the 02 Arena could well be the British-Nigerian boxer’s last if he loses, Hearn hinted.
“This is the most excited I’ve been on Anthony Joshua’s journey so far because I think it’s exciting.
“You go into that fight in April – you know that with defeat, it’s all over, really. It would be a third back-to-back defeat.
“And yet a great performance and a showreel knockout gets everyone saying, ‘We’re back, we’re back baby.’
“That’s what I can’t wait for, because I love it when our backs are against the wall.
“That’s the best moments and this is one of those moments for AJ,” the promoter told iFL TV.
Joshua has been linked with facing his Australian former sparring partner, Demsey McKean in April.
And Hearn said the April fight could pave way for a bigger bout in July.
“AJ wants a big fight in the summer.
“The one that would make sense and the one that should be hopefully quite straightforward to make is the rematch with Dillian Whyte.
“We’re open to a Deontay Wilder fight, we’re open to a Tyson Fury fight.
“But yeah, in my mind, with AJ fighting in April and Dillian probably fighting around the same time, that would lead them to a big all-British heavyweight fight in the summer. That’s what I’d like to do.
“AJ wants to be in the biggest fights possible and if a bigger fight rears its head – there’s only two bigger fights in the division than Dillian Whyte, that’s Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder.
“If they appear somehow, 100 per cent willing to look at those as well.
“But the key is April 1,” Hearn said.