Anthony Joshua suffered a crushing and one-sided defeat at present by the hands of Daniel Dubois, dropped 4 occasions and stopped within the fifth spherical of their IBF title combat at Wembley Stadium, however promoter Eddie Hearn doesn’t see any cause that the combat can be the final of Joshua’s profession.
Hearn does acknowledge that the 34-year-old Joshua (28-4, 25 KO) is within the dwelling stretch of his profession, however thinks there will probably be massive fights on the market — and that the all-British showdown between AJ and Tyson Fury just isn’t a useless subject.
Fury, in fact, will rematch Oleksandr Usyk for the WBC, WBA, and WBO titles on Dec. 21 in Saudi Arabia.
“I don’t see (at present) being a combat that ends (Joshua’s) profession, however as I’ve mentioned he’s within the ultimate chapter or chapters of his profession, and that’s an enormous blow, as a result of we fancied profitable tonight and combating the winner of Fury towards Usyk, and we might find yourself combating the loser of that combat possibly, if it’s Tyson Fury,” Hearn mentioned.
“You’ve obtained the Dubois rematch, you’ve obtained different fights on the market. However I believe it’s actually about returning to the fitness center and having day off and seeing the way you come again with Ben (Davison). Rather a lot is dependent upon the way you’re performing within the fitness center.”
Hearn mentioned within the ring post-fight that he expects Joshua to train his rematch clause with Dubois (22-2, 21 KO), however the Fury possibility could possibly be larger cash subsequent yr, even when Fury suffers a second straight loss to Usyk.
Although followers are fast to imagine fights are useless as a result of losses, it actually comes down as to whether or not the combat might be bought, and even in diminished states, Fury vs Joshua could possibly be bought in 2025. It wouldn’t imply what it might have three years and even one yr in the past, however it might nonetheless be an enormous cash combat, and cash is what retains this sport transferring and what will get fights executed.
The rematch with Dubois is, as Hearn mentioned, nonetheless a viable possibility, too. The combat didn’t lack for motion or leisure worth, and Joshua has tried to avenge defeats towards different fighters prior to now. He succeeded in his rematch with Andy Ruiz Jr in 2019, however misplaced two straight to Usyk in 2021-22.
