Agit Kabayel believes Anthony Joshua vs. Arslanbek Makhmudov will be a “very close fight” if it happens in 2026. He notes that Joshua (28-4, 25 KOs) is coming off a knockout loss to Daniel Dubois in his last fight over a year ago on September 21, 2024.
(Credit: Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing)
Coming back for what could be a year-and-a-half layoff to fight Makhmudov would be a difficult one for Joshua to take. The punching power and toughness of Makhmudov (21-2, 19 KOs) will be a problem for Joshua.
AJ’s Layoff and Fragile Chin
There are a lot of question marks about whether AJ can still take a healthy punch without going down. If Makhmudov drops Joshua, he’ll have a good chance of finishing him. When the big 6’5 1/2″ Russian gets his opponents hurt, he’s lethal.
“This fight is good for AJ and it’s good for Makhmudov,” said heavyweight contender Agit Kabayel to Boxing King Media about a potential fight between Anthony Joshua and Arslanbek Makhmudov. “AJ comes to the fight with a loss to Daniel Dubois.
Makhmudov said that Joshua told him that he would fight him next year. He’s hoping that he keeps his word to follow through, as he’s looking forward to this fight. It’s late in Makhmudov’s career, and he’s not young at 36. This might be his only opportunity to get a big payday before he retires if Joshua agrees to fight him.
The 50-50 Fight Scenario
“For him, it’s also a very good fight if he fights Makhmudov. I think this is a very close fight. AJ does not win the fight. This is not an easy fight for him. We will see in the ring. I think for the boxing people, it’s a very good matchup,” said Kabayel.
Will Joshua Overrule Hearn?
Joshua may have to overrule his promoters, Eddie Hearn and Frank Smith, because they’ve both talked of him having a different path for 2026 against, hopefully, Tyson Fury and someone else.
It would be risky for Joshua to fight Makhmudov now because if he didn’t score a fast knockout, the chances of him getting clipped are high. With Arslanbek’s tough punch resistance, he’s not going to fold in the first two rounds. He’ll stay in there, and he’ll have plenty of opportunities to connect with his heavy shots.
