October 10th 2024.
According to former world champion Johnny Nelson, if Anthony Joshua is serious about continuing his boxing career, he should consider pushing for an immediate rematch against Daniel Dubois. Dubois delivered a devastating knockout victory over Joshua at Wembley Stadium last month, leaving the former three-time heavyweight champion with a bitter defeat.
Despite the defeat, Joshua has made it clear that he has no intention of retiring from the sport. His promoter, Eddie Hearn, has revealed that Joshua is leaning towards an immediate rematch with Dubois, rather than waiting for the winner of the upcoming Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk fight. Fury and Usyk are set to face off in a rematch of their own in December, after Usyk's stunning victory over the undefeated Fury in May.
Some, like former cruiserweight champion Johnny Nelson, have suggested that Joshua should walk away from boxing altogether after such a devastating loss. Nelson stated, "If you take money out of the equation, he shouldn't continue fighting. Walk away." However, if Joshua does choose to pursue a rematch with Dubois, Nelson believes that the December card would be a realistic option.
Nelson also expressed concern about Joshua's confidence going into a potential rematch with Dubois. Despite Joshua's positive messages since the defeat, Nelson believes that Joshua may not have the confidence to match his abilities behind closed doors. He also believes that the responsibility for the loss lies with Joshua himself, rather than his corner or trainers.
The defeat to Dubois marked the second consecutive loss for Joshua, following his defeat to Usyk. Despite a string of wins against top opponents, including Jermaine Franklin, Robert Helenius, Otto Wallin, and Francis Ngannou, Joshua's dominance seemed to abandon him on the night of the fight with Dubois.
Some have questioned why Joshua was able to deliver a devastating knockout against Ngannou, but not against Dubois. Nelson believes that if a rematch is going to happen, it should happen immediately, rather than after a string of warm-up fights. However, he also believes that there is something fundamentally missing from Joshua's mindset and approach to the sport.
In the end, Nelson believes that the responsibility lies with Joshua himself. He stated, "We are looking everywhere, his trainers, his conditioning. But the problem is AJ. In his head." Only time will tell if Joshua will choose to pursue a rematch with Dubois or take a different path in his boxing career.
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