ANTHONY Joshua’s hopes of winning the world title have suffered a setback after a 12-month break from the ring.
Joshua has not fought since losing to Daniel Dubois via knockout at Wembley Stadium in September of last year.
Anthony Joshua out of rankings
Although his return to the ring has been delayed due to surgery for a persistent elbow, the Watford star is currently training in hopes of making a comeback.
He has fallen out of the I BF heavyweight rankings due to inactivity over the last year
Joshua used to be ranked number five on the list, but Moses Itauma has moved up one spot in the most recent rankings to take his place.
Frank Sanchez, Efe Ajagba, and Derek Chisora round out the top five and will face battle in an IBF final eliminator later this year.
The winner will face Oleksandr Usyk, the current undisputed heavyweight champion, as the new IBF mandatory.
Joshua, however, has a long way to go before he can contend with the division’s top brass once more.
The 35-year-old will take on a chosen opponent in January or early February, according to his promoter Eddie Hearn.
Despite just reversing his retirement, Tyson Fury is still the primary target for a summer blockbuster.
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