Matchroom Boxing chief Eddie Hearn has admitted that Anthony Joshua is still coming to terms with his recent defeat to Daniel Dubois and carefully considering his options for a potential rematch.
The former two-time unified heavyweight champion was stopped by Dubois in the fifth round of their bout at Wembley last month, a result that has left him reeling as he contemplates his next move.
Dubois, who retained his IBF heavyweight title, dropped Joshua four times before finishing him off 59 seconds into the fifth round, securing a stunning victory. Joshua had entered the fight as the favourite, especially after a streak of four consecutive wins following back-to-back losses to Oleksandr Usyk.
He had also defeated former UFC champion Francis Ngannou earlier this year, reaffirming his status as a top contender in the heavyweight division. However, the loss to Dubois has left the 34-year-old with decisions to make about his future in the ring.
Speaking on DAZN, Hearn shed light on Joshua’s current state of mind. “It’s still quite fresh, only three weeks ago. He’s devastated by the defeat,” he said.
“Daniel’s had a great time in Brazil as the new champion, and it’s well deserved.
There’s a period of time within AJ’s contract where he has to make a decision, and it’s not up yet, but he’s thinking hard. He’s resting his body and figuring out what he wants to do.”
Hearn acknowledged that discussions on a possible rematch are ongoing, hinting that Joshua is leaning towards a rematch with Dubois despite the uncertainty.
“When you start thinking about it, there’s no bad decision,” Hearn told Sky Sports.
“He wants to win the world heavyweight title, and that could mean fighting Dubois again rather than facing Deontay Wilder or waiting for Tyson Fury. If it’s solely up to AJ, which it will be at the end of the day, I think it’s going to be hard to talk him out of taking the rematch.”
Veteran heavyweight Derek Chisora also weighed in on Joshua’s situation, offering some straightforward advice.
“He should jump on the rematch straight away,” Chisora said on ‘The Stomping Ground’.
“Listen, shout out to Daniel Dubois, the new champion, but Joshua should go for it, bro. What else is he going to do? Fight Deontay Wilder, then come back to face Dubois? No, he should take the rematch now.”
While there is no explicit contractual rematch clause, sources indicate that Joshua has one more fight left on his Riyadh Season deal, and both Turki Alalshikh, chairman of the Saudi General Entertainment Authority, and Dubois are interested in making the rematch happen.
