Recently, former European middleweight champion Matthew Macklin claimed on Sky Sports that Anthony Joshua’s decision not to pursue an immediate rematch against Daniel Dubois is not surprising and that he might even retire from boxing after his recent loss.
On September 21, 2024, Daniel Dubois successfully defended the IBF world title by unexpectedly knocking out Anthony Joshua in the fifth round.
The fight, held at Wembley Stadium, was a decisive moment for both fighters. Joshua, who came off two consecutive victories with his new trainer, entered the ring with high confidence.
However, the result was a resounding defeat for Anthony Joshua and has cast doubt on his future in the ring.
It was previously reported that the rematch between Joshua and Dubois was scheduled for February 2025, but Joshua canceled it, citing it was too soon. Speaking with Sky Sports, former boxer Matthew Macklin shared his thoughts on Joshua’s decision.
“I always thought once the dust had settled, it was a fight that wouldn’t happen,” Macklin remarked.
“Personally, I think that could be that for Joshua anyway,” Macklin opined.
At 34 years of age, Joshua is at a pivotal moment in his career, where a loss of this magnitude can impact his confidence. Macklin added that the defeat was so clear that it won’t be easy for Joshua to recover.
“I understood the talk of it because, for Joshua, his pride was hurting, and when your pride is hurting, you just want to get back in there to rectify the situation,” Macklin stated.
“A loss like that will take a lot to come back from. At 34 years of age, you don’t get better; it goes downhill from here,” the Sky Sports analyst claimed.
Matthew Macklin’s comments also include the possibility of Anthony Joshua retiring from boxing.
According to the expert, the two-time world champion might choose to reflect on his future after a decade of success in the heavyweight division.
“When the dust settles, he has time to reflect and think about his next move. It wouldn’t shock me at all if AJ doesn’t box again and retires. And what a career he would have had,” Macklin expressed.
While Joshua decides his future, Daniel Dubois is preparing to defend his IBF world title against New Zealand’s Joseph Parker in February.
Parker has made a comeback after his loss to Joe Joyce in 2022, securing impressive victories over Deontay Wilder and Zhilei Zhang.
Macklin believes that Parker is at the peak of his career. He also thinks the fight between Dubois and Parker will be highly competitive, emphasizing that the current Dubois has more confidence and physical form than ever.
On the other hand, there is still speculation about a possible fight between Joshua and Tyson Fury, especially if Fury manages to defeat Oleksandr Usyk. However, Macklin states that it’s uncertain whether Joshua will have the desire to continue fighting.
“The Tyson Fury fight could still happen if he were to beat Oleksandr Usyk. It would still be a huge fight, but I just don’t know what AJ’s appetite for boxing is at this point; it’s hard to say.”
The future of Anthony Joshua remains uncertain, and there is no official date for his return yet. However, Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, made it clear that Joshua will be ready to step back into the ring in May or June 2025.
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