Former rising American heavyweight contender Jared Anderson is apparently going to return to the ring for the 2nd time in just under two years in a co-promotional deal with England's Queensberry Promotions
Once promising American heavyweight contender Jared "Real Big Baby" Anderson has been largely inactive the last two years, but that appears about to change.
Top Rank Boxing, which has guided Anderson's career to this point, is currently in discussions with Britain's Queensberry Promotions regarding a potential co-promotional agreement to share the fighter. Insider Dan Rafael confirmed the news with Top Rank vice president Carl Moretti in an interview for his Fight Freaks Unite Substack.
If the co-promotional deal is finalized, promoter Frank Warren's Queensberry, which is currently the deepest promotion of heavyweight fighters in boxing, would join Top Rank in promoting the former unbeaten rising star Anderson for his next three bouts.
The proposed partnership could begin as early as May 9, when Anderson is being considered for a spot on the undercard of the WBO heavyweight title fight between Fabio Wardley and Daniel Dubois.
The 26 year old Anderson is from Toledo, Ohio, and owns an 18-1 record with 15 KOs. He was considered the top American in the high profile heavyweigh division, as he rose to 17-0. But, his momentum was derailed in August 2024 in Los Angeles, when veteran Martin Bakole of the Congo dismantled Anderson, as he scored three knockdowns before stopping him in the fifth round.
That was a fight that Anderson took against the advice of Top Rank, but Anderson got a very lucrative pay day from Turki Alashikh and the Saudi Entertainment Authority to fight Bakole on that PPV card. Since that loss, Anderson has fought just once, earning a lackluster 10 round decision win over Marios Kollias in February 2025.
While no opponent for Anderson has been officially confirmed, England’s Solomon Dacres has emerged as a leading candidate. Dacres, who is a mid level Queensberry heavyweight, holds a 10-1 record with three knockouts and is coming off a significant upset victory over previously unbeaten Vladyslav Sirenko via 10-round decision. His lone professional defeat came in the fight prior, when he was stopped in the first round by David Adeleye.
There have been looming questions about Anderson's motivation to become a world champion, especially, when he repeatedly spoke on the record about "not loving" boxing, but doing it instead for money.
However, he hasn't made so much money that he isn't interested in resuming his career. And, in addition to the matchup with Dacres, Queensberry boasts fighters like British rising phenom Moses Itauma, who returns to the ring next weekend.