In a sporting landscape where allegiances are tested daily and the lure of big-money moves can shake even the most grounded of champions, Anthony Joshua has once again demonstrated that his loyalty runs deeper than any rival promotion's checkbook.
It has emerged that Zuffa Boxing, the powerhouse outfit backed by UFC parent company TKO Group, didn't just come knocking on Conor Benn's door. “AJ” received the same call, and his response told you everything you need to know about the man.
Just like Conor Benn, Anthony Joshua had an approach too.
he immediately sent Eddie a screenshot and said, “Let me know what you want me to reply”AJ is a REAL ONE.
Respect. 🫡 pic.twitter.com/CPYF5Nu7f3
— No Context Ariel Helwani (@NoContextAriel) March 10, 2026
According to Eddie Hearn, Joshua was approached directly by Zuffa Boxing with what was described as a serious overture. Rather than entertain the conversation, weigh up the offer, or play both sides against the middle, the former two-time unified heavyweight champion did something remarkably straightforward. He took a screenshot and fired it straight to promoter Eddie Hearn with a simple message: “Let me know what you want me to reply.”
Four words. That's all it took to sum up a relationship built over more than a decade.
The contrast with Benn's situation is striking. The welterweight contender, who has been at the center of his own Zuffa Boxing discussions, has found himself navigating the murky waters of promotional intrigue with his future still very much up in the air. Joshua, by comparison, didn't even pause to consider the alternative.
For Eddie Hearn and Matchroom Boxing, the gesture would have landed like a warm handshake. Joshua has been with Hearn since the early days of his professional career, a partnership that has weathered world title fights, stunning upsets, heavyweight rematches, and the full rollercoaster ride that comes with being boxing's biggest global attraction. There have been bumps, plenty of them, but the foundation has never cracked.
What makes this revelation so compelling is what it says about power dynamics in the current heavyweight era. Zuffa Boxing's aggressive expansion into the sport signals a genuine desire to reshape the promotional landscape, and the fact that they targeted a fighter of Joshua's magnitude speaks volumes about their ambition. That Joshua deflected without hesitation is equally telling.
At 36, AJ is in the final chapters of a legendary career. His remaining big fights, the kind of legacy-defining nights that still feel possible — will almost certainly be plotted by Hearn and the Matchroom machine.
Some things in boxing, it turns out, simply aren't for sale.
