Matchroom Sports CEO Eddie Hearn has suggested that Anthony Joshua’s boxing career may be approaching its final chapter after his crushing defeat to Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium last Saturday.
In a conversation with ¨PUNCH Sports Extra¨, Hearn reflected on the ex-champion’s devastating loss, where Joshua was knocked down four times before being stopped in the fifth round, losing to Dubois, who successfully retained his IBF world heavyweight title in front of 98,000 spectators.
After the fight, Hearn disclosed a sobering exchange he had with Joshua. “I said to AJ on the phone, ‘You’ve probably got between one and three fights left.’ Then it went a bit quiet.
He kind of realised, blimey, we’re on the home straight. We really are,” Hearn revealed in an interview with ¨Charlie Parson of The Stomping Ground¨.
Despite the heavy loss, Hearn confirmed that Joshua has a rematch clause in place and is expected to activate it soon.
The promoter remains confident that Joshua, who is contracted for at least one more fight with Saudi organizers, will aim for a rematch against Dubois.
However, given the one-sided nature of the fight, Joshua may also explore other options as he looks to regain his status in the heavyweight division.
One potential path could lead to a long-anticipated showdown with Tyson Fury, who is set to rematch Oleksandr Usyk in December. If Fury wins, a voluntary title defense against Joshua could finally settle their domestic rivalry.
Alternatively, if both Fury and Joshua find themselves outside the title picture, they could face off in a bid to revive their championship prospects.
Another possible opponent for Joshua is Deontay Wilder, the former WBC champion. Although a much-hyped showdown between Joshua and Wilder never materialized before Fury dethroned Wilder, the idea of the two squaring off remains attractive.
Wilder, now 39, has suffered consecutive losses to Joseph Parker and Zhilei Zhang but is considering a return to the ring, and a Joshua fight could offer both boxers a route back to title contention.
The winner could seize another shot at heavyweight glory, while the loser might be pushed toward retirement.
Joshua’s next fight, whether a rematch with Dubois or a clash with another top contender, will likely decide if he can make one last run for the title or if his storied career will soon come to a close.
