British boxer Anthony Joshua has seen his mentality come under scrutiny following a painful knockout defeat to Daniel Dubois last month. At Wembley, the heavyweight lost convincingly, sparking concern within the boxing community about his future in the sport. Several legends have suggested that Joshua, a two-time former world champion, consider retiring after his latest setback in the ring.
Joshua, 34, had accumulated a streak of four consecutive victories before his fight with Dubois. The bout was seen as an opportunity to solidify his comeback following a knockout win over former UFC champion Francis Ngannou. However, despite being the favorite, Joshua struggled to find his rhythm during the fight.
Daniel Dubois dominated the bout, knocking Anthony Joshua down four times before delivering a devastating knockout in the fifth round.
With this victory, Dubois retained his IBF title, while Joshua dropped to seventh in the world heavyweight rankings. This defeat has led to calls from prominent boxing figures for Joshua to retire, although others believe he still has the potential to return to the top.
One who believes Joshua has more to offer in boxing is fellow British heavyweight David Adeleye. In a recent interview with Mirror Fighting, Adeleye expressed that Anthony Joshua’s mentality before the fight “was wrong.” According to the young prospect, something in the preparation didn’t work in the former champion’s favor.
“It was a one-sided fight,” commented Adeleye. “I’ve got a lot of love for AJ, but yeah, it was a one-sided fight. I just think maybe the mentality going into the fight was wrong, and maybe something was wrong in the preparation, so it just didn’t favor him.”
Adeleye also believes that, despite the criticism, Joshua still has much to offer boxing. Among the possibilities for Joshua’s future is a matchup with Tyson Fury, a long-anticipated bout for fans. Although the two have had talks over the years, the fight has yet to materialize.
Furthermore, Adeleye maintains that, despite the loss, Joshua remains boxing’s “golden goose.” Interest in a fight between Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury still exists, although perhaps not at the same level as in previous years. Nonetheless, Adeleye believes that this clash, which would determine who is the best British boxer of his era, remains significant.
Tyson Fury, for his part, has also shown interest in fighting Joshua. In a recent interview, Fury stated that a fight between the two will happen before the end of their careers, regardless of Joshua’s recent defeat. “Joshua knows he’s getting it,” Fury assured. “Even if we’re 50 years old, he’s got to fight me. There’s no escaping it.”
Daniel Dubois’ promoter, Frank Warren, has revealed that his client’s next fight is scheduled for early next year. A rematch between Joshua and Dubois could take place on February 22 in Riyadh, according to forecasts. In the meantime, uncertainty about Joshua’s future continues to be a topic of debate in the boxing world.
As discussions about Anthony Joshua’s future and the possibilities of a rematch or a showdown with Fury continue, the boxing world eagerly awaits to see if the British fighter can rise from his recent defeats and prove that he still has what it takes to compete at the highest level.
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