Eddie Hearn says he believes a second clash between Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois will be another of the Riyadh season events after they exercised the rematch clause.
There will be many fans interested in seeing a Joshua-Dubois rematch as they will want to see if AJ can avenge his loss. Of course, some fans will be anxious to see if Dubois can send Joshua into retirement with a second knockout.
That’s what makes the rematch interesting, and it’s likely to bring in big PPV numbers. Hearn has not said anything about whether Joshua will exercise the rematch clause immediately or wait until after he fights Tyson Fury. This is the fight the public wants to see.
Joshua (28-4, 23 KOs) will take the rest of the year off following his fifth-round knockout loss to IBF heavyweight champion Dubois (22-2, 21 KOs), and will then return in 2025.
Hearn likes the effort Joshua put in after being hurt in the first and rallied in the fourth and fifth. By then, however, Joshua was “damaged goods”, with his striking resistance evaporating after the first.
“He never stopped trying to land big shots to knock out Dubois, even when he had no legs, and that’s an incredible heart,” Eddie Hearn told the Stomping. Grounds about Anthony Joshua still trying to win despite weak legs from the first round.
Joshua didn’t land many right hands in the fight because he looked cautious and carried too much muscle in his arms. For this fight, AJ should have been trimmer and more aggressive. Fighting passively didn’t work for him, and it allowed Dubois to be confident. If Joshua Dubois got hurt early, he would have made him cautious about pitching.
“You saw him say, ‘Come on,’ and wait for him and swing his chin in the air,” Hearn continued about Joshua. “People have criticized AJ in the past for not letting his hands go. He let his hands go at the craziest times.”
Joshua didn’t throw many punches in either round; some in the third and fourth, but not enough for him to hurt Dubois like he had to. He made a big deal about sending Dubois back to his corner after the fourth, but he didn’t do much in that round.
“I said, ‘You should be proud of yourself, because it couldn’t have gone any worse, and you never stopped getting up.’ Even when in the end (fifth round) he couldn’t get up, tried to get up. Every time he was knocked down, he looked straight at the ref: “I’m fine.” He called Dubois in consistently,” Hearn said.
Joshua put on a false front by showing bravery after being dropped, but you could tell he was worried, and he knew the fight was going badly for him.
“When he got back into the fight and started hurting Dubois, he was already damaged goods, and he was cleaned up,” Hearn said.
Joshua should have used his jab to set Dubois up for a right hand after he pummeled him in the fifth. He was already hurt. and he didn’t need to unload on him with a risky right hand.
“We’ll keep it respectful because I don’t think it’s fair, Daniel, but we still have a fight with the Riyadh season that we can practice. I believe AJ would want it to be Daniel Dubois.
“He felt he was coming back into the fight,” Hearn said of Joshua believing he rallied in the fourth and fifth. “I spoke to him at length last night and he was really willing to go to the trenches. He told me, ‘I’m really willing to do whatever it takes,’ and he never stopped trying.
If Joshua was serious about going to the trenches he should have thrown more punches because he didn’t throw enough to give himself a chance to win the fight. If he could have thrown 40 to 50 punches per round, he would have won easily. He didn’t, and he seemed worried about gassing.
“It was sometimes difficult to watch in rounds two and three. He never stopped holding, he never stopped swinging, and we should be proud of him for that accomplishment.
“No, I don’t think so,” Hearn said when asked if there was any chance Joshua would retire after this loss. “He was on a big run. He was caught just as early. He never really got a chance to get into the fight, but even in the circumstances he almost found a way back.
“So, he’ll be exhausted, he’ll kick himself and take the rest of the year off, and then you’ll see him back in 2025,” Hearn said.
Joshua could have fought a much better fight, and he should have some regrets. By taking the rest of the year off, Joshua will let his defeat stand.
