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Anthony Joshua has dropped from the IBF heavyweight rankings.
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Nigeria’s Efe Ajagba and Moses Itauma have risen in the list.
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Usyk remains champion as Joshua targets an early 2026 return.
Anthony Joshua has been dropped from the IBF heavyweight rankings after a year away from the ring, while Nigeria’s Efe Ajagba and Moses Itauma move up, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
Also Read: Anthony Joshua Sets Sight on First African Fight in Ghana
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Joshua, the former two-time world champion, has not fought since his fifth-round knockout loss to Daniel Dubois at Wembley last September.
He turned down an immediate rematch to have elbow surgery.
Meanwhile, Daniel Dubois lost the IBF title to Oleksandr Usyk, and active contenders have risen.
Consequently, the updated IBF heavyweight rankings no longer list Joshua among the top contenders.
Usyk remains champion, Derek Chisora is second and Ajagba third.
Itauma jumped to fifth after stopping Dillian Whyte last month, while Dubois sits seventh.
These shifts reward fighters who have stayed active and taken big fights.
Joshua had been linked to Jake Paul for early next year, but Paul will instead face Gervonta Davis in an exhibition in November.
That announcement left Joshua without a confirmed opponent and increased uncertainty over his comeback plans.
Joshua is not expected to return before year’s end, with early 2026 the likely target. Promoter Eddie Hearn said:
“I don’t think there’s any value in us saying it will be in December. He’s been travelling about a bit but he’s back in training following an elbow operation. These big fights take time and every AJ event is massive.”
Talks have been held about staging Joshua’s return in Ghana.
“There has been an offer to do a fight there and I think it would be incredible for AJ to fight in Africa. If Ghana comes back and says they’d like to go in January or February, then that’s the offer. I don’t think there’s a rush, albeit he has been out of the ring for almost a year now.” – Hearn added.
