Joshua was knocked out by Daniel Dubois on Saturday in a stunning result for the former two-time unified world heavyweight champion, who entered Wembley Stadium the massive favourite to topple Dubois and take the 27-year-old's IBF title.

Instead, Dubois has put the entire division on notice after a thoroughly dominant performance against "AJ," leaving Joshua to pick up the pieces after such a devastating defeat.

However, Joshua may not have much time to lick his wounds and ponder his future as Hearn believes Dubois will return to the ring as early as February 2025, meaning that a potential rematch under the auspices of Turki Alalshikh and Riyadh Season would have to be confirmed in short order.

"His Excellency will, if he's doing a show in February, he will want a decision imminently," Hearn told DAZN's Ade Oladipo. "And that's difficult, because we have to go through the medical side as well. You know, go away, get all the scans done, check out the hands, do the rehab, rest, and see when we're ready to go. Because it was a tough night at the office."

With Joshua possessing a rematch clause, the decision on his next fight may be a simple one given the 34-year-old's history after losing fights.

"I think the next move is probably the most important of his career," Hearn said. "I think he, as he's proven with [Andy] Ruiz and [Oleksandr] Usyk, will only want to do one thing, which is to rematch Daniel Dubois and put the wrong right.

"We have within our contract with His Excellency and Riyadh Season the option to do the rematch, and I'm pretty sure, after all my conversation so far with His Excellency ... he [Alalshikh] wants the immediate rematch.

"Daniel Dubois will probably have no problem with the immediate rematch. He just won the fight by stoppage, and it's the biggest fight out there for him."

But Hearn, Joshua's longtime promoter, wants the 2012 Olympic gold medalist to look at all options, especially with the Usyk vs. Tyson Fury rematch coming up towards the end of the year. While running it back with Dubois may seem like the obvious choice, Hearn suggested that it may be prudent to be patient.

"Do we want the rematch [against Dubois]?" Hearn said. "Is it the right move next now? Again, taking away AJ's emotion, taking away the fighter in him, taking away the pride.

"Do we wait for December 21 and see what happens with Tyson Fury, or do we jump straight back into Daniel Dubois?"