Joshua on the Brink: Loss to Dubois Could Spell Disaster

Anthony Joshua cannot afford to lose to IBF heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois this Saturday night. Given his age and the two-year effort he put into rebuilding after back-to-back losses to Oleksandr Usyk, another defeat would be disastrous for him after all that hard work.

Promoter Eddie Hearn states that a “loss” isn’t something AJ is considering, but he could still be defeated by Dubois (21-2, 20 KOs). Such a loss would be devastating for Joshua, possibly derailing his plans for a British mega-fight against Tyson Fury in 2025. Hearn remarked on the DAZN boxing channel, “They’ve been saying that since the Ruiz 2 fight: ‘If he loses this, is his career over?’” regarding Anthony Joshua’s imperative to win against Daniel Dubois this Saturday night.

“You have to climb your way back up, and when you hit a low point, it’s tough to return. After the loss to Usyk, he has managed to rise back to the top, and on Saturday, he has the opportunity to reclaim his status as a King,” Hearn said about Joshua. Hearn must be concerned about a potential loss for Joshua after all the time and effort he has invested in helping him return to this position. It took Joshua two years to come back, and if he loses to Dubois, it could feel like all that effort was for nothing. Hearn might have been better off bringing Joshua back into the ring sooner.

“You get defeated and immediately drop back down, and the process of rebuilding is tough; it’s a lengthy journey back. For us, there’s only one goal: we must win. Losing isn’t even on our radar,” Hearn stated.

“His age brings additional pressure. It’s like trying to add a bit more weight, you know?” said promoter Frank Warren regarding Joshua’s experience. While Hearn may avoid discussing the potential of Joshua losing to Dubois, it’s a genuine concern. Joshua could be at risk since he’s facing a type of puncher he has never encountered before. Even in his fight against Wladimir Klitschko in 2017, he wasn’t up against a slugger like Dubois. Klitschko was 41, past his prime, and not the aggressive, fearless opponent Joshua will face this Saturday night.

“That’s what makes this fight so exciting. It’s not like we’re seeing someone who just lost and is feeling uncertain. It’s also not someone with a controversial past that raises doubts about their commitment,” Hearn said.

“Dubois seems reinvigorated and ready to go. The doubts and uncertainties that once surrounded him are gone. He truly appears to be a transformed fighter.” Since his loss to Oleksandr Usyk in 2023, Dubois has become much more aggressive and shows a determination to keep fighting, even when faced with tough challenges.

He didn’t get a fair shake in his match against Usyk when the referee failed to recognize a knockout in the fifth round after he landed a body shot. “AJ, people are asking, ‘Does he still have it?’ He looks better than ever with Ben Davison,” remarked Hearn. While Joshua appears improved based on the limited competition he’s faced in his two fights since hiring Davison, those opponents—Francis Ngannou and Otto Wallin—aren’t top-tier fighters. Dubois is the real deal, and we’ll find out if Joshua is genuinely “better than ever” or if this is just more talk from Hearn.

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Joshua on the Brink: Loss to Dubois Could Spell Disaster

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