Anthony Joshua’s Next Battle: Dubois or Fury on the Horizon

Anthony Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn confirmed that the heavyweight star will face either Daniel Dubois or Tyson Fury in his next fight. Following a fourth career defeat against IBF world champion Dubois at Wembley Stadium in September, Joshua, 35 finds himself in a unique position within the heavyweight division. Hearn stated, “It’s weird saying it after a knockout defeat, but AJ is actually in a really good position.”

He emphasized that Joshua will not participate in any warm-up fights, declaring, “We’re going to fight Dubois or Fury next.” In their September match, Dubois, 27 knocked Joshua down multiple times before the referee stopped the bout in the fifth round. A potential rematch has emerged for February 22 in Saudi Arabia and Dubois’s promoter, Frank Warren indicated that he likely will fight on that date.

However, Hearn mentioned that Joshua may need additional preparation time, stating, “AJ desperately wants revenge, but the only issue is timing.” If the rematch with Dubois occurs in February, Joshua would need to start training soon but he has faced physical challenges that may affect his readiness. Alternatively, Joshua may choose to wait for Tyson Fury’s rematch with Oleksandr Usyk on December 21.

Hearn expressed concern about the potential frustration of scheduling the Dubois rematch if Fury wins. “If we make the Dubois rematch and Fury wins, then we’d be in a position where we could have fought Fury in May for the biggest fight in boxing,” he explained. Depending on Fury’s results, Joshua could potentially face him next summer for the heavyweight title. This situation makes it a pivotal time for Anthony Joshua’s career.