Following his recent loss to IBF heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois at Wembley Arena, discussions about Anthony Joshua‘s next fight have quickly emerged.
Joshua aimed to become a three-time heavyweight champion but was knocked out by Dubois in the fifth round, who successfully defended his title.
In the wake of the defeat, fans are curious about Joshua‘s future plans. Reports indicate that he will likely activate a rematch clause in his contract with Dubois.
“I think he will exercise that rematch clause; that’s a given,” explained Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn.
Hearn also mentioned that Joshua will need time to recover, especially with Dubois gaining confidence from his victory.
Had Joshua won, a high-stakes clash with the winner of the upcoming Oleksandr Usyk vs. Tyson Fury bout would have been anticipated. Instead, it appears Joshua is set to face Dubois again sometime next year.
Entering the fight as the favorite due to his extensive experience, Joshua struggled to establish control. Dubois knocked him down late in the first round and followed up with two more knockdowns before finishing the fight with a decisive right hand.
Dubois was impressive
While Hearn noted that Dubois had landed illegal blows, he still commended Dubois for his impressive performance, declaring it a “crowning night” for the newly minted champion.
“Listen, when Daniel Dubois hit him in the nuts in the third or fourth round, I’m screaming at AJ to take the full five minutes,” Hearn added.
“That’s actually a bit of inexperience. At that point when he couldn’t stand up, he’s been hit full blown in the conkers.
“He said to the ref ‘I’m fine, let’s go’ and I’m like ‘what are you doing?’
Despite the setback, Joshua is determined to press on with his boxing career.
“Of course, I still want to continue fighting,” he affirmed.
“We took a shot at success and came up short. Are we going to run away now or live to fight another day? I’m a warrior.”
As Joshua prepares for a potential rematch with Dubois, the boxing world is eager to see how he will respond.