Anthony Joshua Floats Possible Move to MMA

Overview

• This week Joshua said on podcasts and in interviews that he has considered stepping from boxing into mixed martial arts and that such a move could be ‘big business’ if paired with a marquee opponent.
• There are no confirmed MMA fights or formal plans for Joshua to fight under MMA rules and his immediate priority remains a July 25 tune-up versus Kristian Prenga in Jeddah that is part of a two-fight deal tied to a potential Tyson Fury meeting later in 2026.
• Joshua brings prior crossover experience to the discussion, having knocked out former UFC heavyweight Francis Ngannou in March 2024, a result reporters cite when assessing his credibility for another cross-discipline experiment.
• Analysts and Joshua himself note clear hurdles to a boxer-to-MMA switch, including grappling and ground-fighting skills that differ from boxing, the need for careful matchmaking, and the commercial reality that elite boxing typically pays more than standard MMA cards.
• If Joshua pursued any crossover it would shape late-career choices for the fighter and promoters by raising the value of named opponents and special events, while also fueling broader debate about how crossover bouts should be matched and regulated.