Anthony Joshua: "I'm a Warrior, I Will Keep Fighting"

Anthony Joshua has confirmed his intention to continue fighting following a crushing knockout defeat to IBF heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois. Joshua struggled from the start, ultimately succumbing in the fifth round which ended his four-fight winning streak. However, he dismissed any thoughts of retirement, stating, “Of course I still want to continue fighting… Are we going to run away now or live to fight another day? I’m a warrior.”

In this bout, Joshua aimed to join boxing legends like Muhammad Ali, Lennox Lewis and Vitali Klitschko as a three-time world heavyweight champion. Despite his promoter Eddie Hearn advising against attending the post-fight press conference, Joshua insisted on making a statement to the media, visibly bruised but determined.

“Always walk with your head up high,” he emphasized, reflecting on his 13 world title fights, acknowledging that while not all have been successful, they have been entertaining. Joshua has attracted nearly 500,000 fans to six British stadium fights, solidifying his significant impact on British boxing.

This match marked his first title bout since losing to Oleksandr Usyk for the WBA (Super), IBF and WBO belts in August 2022. Usyk, the current WBA, WBC, and WBO champion watched from ringside and expressed surprise at Joshua’s defeat, saying, “I expected Anthony to win the fight.”

As for Anthony Joshua’s future opponents, Hearn mentioned a potential rematch with Dubois is likely while fights with Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury also loom as possibilities. Joshua’s commitment to continue fighting suggests he will have ample opportunities to rebound after this setback.