The British fighter will require eight weeks to recover from a "minor setback" in training but promoter Frank Warren has plenty of competitors in his stable who are willing to take on the former world champion.

Warren told Sky Sports: "We're making these fights happen.

"All I know is whatever they advise him [Joshua], the majority of the heavyweights are with us.

"That door has been taken off the hinges, just walk straight in and we'll make it.

"I understand something was going on [with an injury]. For him there's no rush, he's there and he'll decide in his own time what he wants to do.

"I'm sure his team will support him wholeheartedly whatever his decision is."

Joshua has faced questions about his career in the ring following his damaging defeat to Daniel Dubois in last year's world title fight but Warren believes that the fighter should decide when the time is right to hang up his gloves.

The Queensberry supremo said: "That's his choice [about retirement].

"He's been a great servant for British boxing, two-time world champion, filling venues up, was on the crest of a wave for a long time and in fact looked on the crest of a wave until he fought Daniel.

"He had three good wins under his belt."

Joshua's hopes of fighting domestic rival Tyson Fury are seemingly over after The Gypsy King announced his retirement earlier this year although he previously suggested that it would be the ideal bout for him.

He told iFL TV: "I feel like it's the best fight [for me].

"People might say [Joseph] Parker, people might say - I don't know.

"But I think Fury, commercially, is a great fight and it's a great man's fight as well. So I think it makes sense.

"You could say it's been years in the making. But listen, the heavyweight division has been thriving."