Anthony Joshua’s rematch with Dillian Whyte has transformed into a make or break fight for both men.
Following a Whyte win on the amateur scene and an emphatic knockout for Joshua in the pros back in 2015, the two British rivals will meet once more far down the path of their careers.
The pair have three losses each and one comeback win over American heavyweight Jermaine Franklin, but questions from fans remain as to what they have left in the tank, and answers will be given on August 12 at London’s O2 Arena.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, recent Hall of Fame inductee Froch said that he could see the loser retiring whoever it is, but reiterated that it was a ‘must-win’ for ‘AJ.’
“So I don’t think either of these fighters, Anthony Joshua or Dillian Whyte, are gonna want to continue fighting at a lower level. Especially not Anthony Joshua.
This is a must-win fight for Anthony Joshua, and I think if he does lose, if I’m honest, I think he should retire. I really do. Because it’ll mean his heart’s not in it. I don’t think his heart’s in it anyway.”
Despite believing that Joshua is a fighter on the way out, he says a win can reignite his career.
“If he goes in there and smashes Dillian Whyte to bits and proves a point and shuts everybody up and says ‘I’m back in business’, he can go on then and fight Deontay Wilder … the next two or three fights could look really good for him.”
As for Whyte, he’s more lenient on the retirement call, believing a defeat could see him test up and comers on the scene.
“If Dillian Whyte loses, Dillian Whyte could still kind of hang around and have a couple of big fights, but he’ll be kind of a heavyweight journeyman / gatekeeper.
If he wants to do that, fair enough. It’s a business he’s in and he’s gonna get paid to do it.”
Joshua-Whyte 2 will be broadcast live on DAZN PPV.