Anthony Joshua appears again and again in the relevant votes for the knockout of the year – both triumphantly and horizontally. After his spectacular smashing success over MMA legend Francis Ngannou in the spring, he was badly knocked out against Daniel Dubois in September. Too much for the Brit? An insider suggests that AJ could hang up his boxing gloves – but the superstar’s promoter disagrees.
According to boxingscene.com, Anthony Joshua is considering retiring from boxing. The portal refers to a “prominent official” who spoke to a “Joshua confidant” about the issue on the sidelines of the fight between Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury on December 21st in Riyadh.
“Considering all the money he (Joshua, editor) has made, it makes sense,” said the unnamed source. Another “veteran” of the matchmaker scene, who was also assured of anonymity, made a similar statement. Joshua’s fiasco against Dubois on September 21st was “a one-sided, sobering defeat”.
In a possible British blockbuster against Fury, Joshua is by no means the favorite, the insider pointed out. The question: “Does he (Joshua, editor) want to risk another serious defeat?”
Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn sounds completely different. His protégé will get into the ring twice in 2025, once in the summer and once in the winter, the Brit said on “iFL TV” and gave the route: “For us there are only two fights that we are interested in: the revenge against Daniel Dubois and Tyson Fury.”
Anthony Joshua vs. Tyson Fury “the biggest fight in boxing”
The long-awaited “Battle of Britain” against Fury is “no longer as big as it could have been” after his further defeat against Usyk. But it is still the biggest fight in boxing,” said Hearn.
As soon as “the smoke clears” after Fury’s disappointment, it’s up to me and Frank (Fury promoter Waren, editor) and the boys.
Fury manager Spencer Brown was in an interview with sport.de expressed confidence in December that the duel between the superstars would finally take place.
“If you announce it for Wembley tomorrow, it’s sold out in five minutes. If you do it in Riyadh, the flights are sold out in 20 minutes, that’s how big it is. They’re both aware of it. Could it be Tyson’s last dance – “Maybe. I think the fight is coming, I really do and it’s going to be huge,” Brown said ahead of the Usyk fight.
Joshua seeks revenge against Dubois
According to Hearn, after his second loss as a professional boxer, Fury only has one real option: “Fury is fighting AJ or I don’t know who else he wants to fight. There is no need for a third fight (against Usyk, editor) .”
Joshua, however, has a lucrative alternative with a potential rematch against Dubois. According to the promoter, the 35-year-old wants to make up for the loss of his humiliating knockout defeat. Dubois will initially defend his IBF title against former WBO champion Joseph Parker on February 22nd in Riyadh.
“If he beats Parker, we would like to have the rematch,” said Hearn.