Why did Anthony Joshua not rematch Daniel Dubois and who is he facing instead?
Anthony Joshua will be watching Daniel Dubois’ return to action with interest as his fellow Brit faces another of his old rivals this weekend. AJ is still searching for a way to get his career back on track after failing to become a champion again. Dubois successfully defended his IBF belt against Anthony Joshua in SeptemberGETTY The 34-year-old had aimed to be crowned only the sixth-ever three-time heavyweight champ when he faced Dubois in September. However, he suffered arguably his most damaging career defeat after he was dismantled inside five rounds of the IBF title fight. AJ – once the UK’s most lucrative prizefighter – has had rematch clauses for a second crack at the opponents to have beaten him. The 2012 Olympic gold medalist quickly avenged his shock upset to Andy Ruiz in June 2019. He later went the distance in successive defeats to the pound-for-pound king and former undisputed champion Oleksandr Usyk. In the days that followed his KO loss to Dubois, Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn claimed an immediate sequel was highly likely and revealed preliminary talks were already underway. Instead, ‘Dynamite Dan’ will defend his IBF title against Joseph Parker, who once forfeited the WBO belt in a defeat to AJ in 2018. Why did Joshua not rematch Dubois? Joshua was unable to make Dubois’ next fight date on the February mega card in Saudi Arabia after suffering minor injuries. ‘Triple D’ was pencilled in to defend the red and gold strap on the final card of Saudi Arabia’s current ‘Riyadh Season’. Dubois will serve as the chief undercard attraction for Artur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol, live on talkSPORT, which proved too tight of a turnaround for Joshua. Dubois claimed the IBF belt in stunning fashion against Anthony JoshuaMark Robinson/Matchroom “AJ desperately wants revenge but the only issue is timing,” Hearn told the BBC. “For the rematch to happen in February, training camp will have to start in a couple of weeks. “There are always niggles and he had a few so physically it’s just a case of whether AJ is ready to do that.” Another factor was Joshua’s interest in seeing the outcome of Tyson Fury‘s rematch with Usyk before committing to a different bout. Saudi boxing chief Turki Alalshikh was in the process of preparing a lucrative two-fight offer for the long-awaited all-British showdown. Those plans were put on hold following Fury’s bombshell retirement following his second successive defeat to Usyk. Last time Joshua and Parker fought, AJ proved too good for his opponentGetty What has been said? AJ’s promoter Hearn has set his sights on a world title fight for his client. “Right now because Tyson Fury is retired, so put him to the side, the number one choice for AJ is to fight for the world heavyweight title,” Hearn told BetFred. “That’s 99 per cent of what he wants to do and if that’s Daniel Dubois, no problem. If that’s Joseph Parker, no problem. “If AJ turns around and says that’s what he’s doing, then it’s done. “It’s not me saying he can’t fight Daniel Dubois. Some people say he shouldn’t have fought Oleksandr Usyk. What are you talking about? “It’s your job, he’s the mandatory, what do you want to do? “Give your belt up and have all that criticism that you ducked Usyk and you vacated your belt to do it?” Spencer Oliver believes Joshua, whose next fight is yet to be confirmed, should be fighting Dubois next for a second time. “For me is no credibility in that [accepting another fight],” Oliver said on an episode of talkBOXING last year. “If you get the opportunity to fight Daniel Dubois again and it’s on the table that’s where I’m going. “Fighting like a Dillian Whyte for example, AJ clearly has trouble with his style and risk and reward of that doesn’t outweigh it. “It would be better to go in with Daniel Dubois and daring to be great and become a three-time heavyweight champion.”
Anthony Joshua will be watching Daniel Dubois’ return to action with interest as his fellow Brit faces another of his old rivals this weekend.
AJ is still searching for a way to get his career back on track after failing to become a champion again.
The 34-year-old had aimed to be crowned only the sixth-ever three-time heavyweight champ when he faced Dubois in September.
However, he suffered arguably his most damaging career defeat after he was dismantled inside five rounds of the IBF title fight.
AJ – once the UK’s most lucrative prizefighter – has had rematch clauses for a second crack at the opponents to have beaten him.
The 2012 Olympic gold medalist quickly avenged his shock upset to Andy Ruiz in June 2019.
He later went the distance in successive defeats to the pound-for-pound king and former undisputed champion Oleksandr Usyk.
In the days that followed his KO loss to Dubois, Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn claimed an immediate sequel was highly likely and revealed preliminary talks were already underway.
Instead, ‘Dynamite Dan’ will defend his IBF title against Joseph Parker, who once forfeited the WBO belt in a defeat to AJ in 2018.
Why did Joshua not rematch Dubois?
Joshua was unable to make Dubois’ next fight date on the February mega card in Saudi Arabia after suffering minor injuries.
‘Triple D’ was pencilled in to defend the red and gold strap on the final card of Saudi Arabia’s current ‘Riyadh Season’.
Dubois will serve as the chief undercard attraction for Artur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol, live on talkSPORT, which proved too tight of a turnaround for Joshua.
“AJ desperately wants revenge but the only issue is timing,” Hearn told the BBC.
“For the rematch to happen in February, training camp will have to start in a couple of weeks.
“There are always niggles and he had a few so physically it’s just a case of whether AJ is ready to do that.”
Another factor was Joshua’s interest in seeing the outcome of Tyson Fury‘s rematch with Usyk before committing to a different bout.
Saudi boxing chief Turki Alalshikh was in the process of preparing a lucrative two-fight offer for the long-awaited all-British showdown.
Those plans were put on hold following Fury’s bombshell retirement following his second successive defeat to Usyk.
What has been said?
AJ’s promoter Hearn has set his sights on a world title fight for his client.
“Right now because Tyson Fury is retired, so put him to the side, the number one choice for AJ is to fight for the world heavyweight title,” Hearn told BetFred.
“That’s 99 per cent of what he wants to do and if that’s Daniel Dubois, no problem. If that’s Joseph Parker, no problem.
“If AJ turns around and says that’s what he’s doing, then it’s done.
“It’s not me saying he can’t fight Daniel Dubois. Some people say he shouldn’t have fought Oleksandr Usyk. What are you talking about?
“It’s your job, he’s the mandatory, what do you want to do?
“Give your belt up and have all that criticism that you ducked Usyk and you vacated your belt to do it?”
Spencer Oliver believes Joshua, whose next fight is yet to be confirmed, should be fighting Dubois next for a second time.
“For me is no credibility in that [accepting another fight],” Oliver said on an episode of talkBOXING last year.
“If you get the opportunity to fight Daniel Dubois again and it’s on the table that’s where I’m going.
“Fighting like a Dillian Whyte for example, AJ clearly has trouble with his style and risk and reward of that doesn’t outweigh it.
“It would be better to go in with Daniel Dubois and daring to be great and become a three-time heavyweight champion.”
