34-year-old boxer Anthony Joshua will not retire and is likely to activate his rematch clause, after losing to Daniel Dubois by knockout in the fifth round of their IBF heavyweight title fight on September 21.
In front of 96,000 fans at Wembley Stadium, Joshua was knocked down four times by Dubois and was unable to recover in the fifth round. The Briton missed the chance to become only the fifth man to win the world heavyweight championship three times, after legends Muhammad Ali, Lennox Lewis, Evander Holyfield and Vitaly Klitshko.
The defeat by his compatriot was another blow to Joshua’s ambitions. He was once a top heavyweight, making waves with a technical knockout of Wladimir Klitschko in 2017 and was expected to fight compatriot Tyson Fury to unify all four of the world’s most prestigious heavyweight belts. But over the past two years, Joshua’s career has been in decline, including two consecutive defeats to Ukrainian Oleksandr Usyk and his title.
Prominent boxing promoter and CEO of Matchroom Sport Eddie Hearn has insisted Joshua will not retire and is expected to invoke his Dubois rematch clause. “Joshua needs a break, but he’s confident he can hurt and beat Dubois,” Hearn said at the post-fight press conference. “2025 is going to be an interesting year for Joshua, one way or another, but he’ll be back, whether it’s against Dubois or anyone else.”
According to Hearn, Joshua started the fight poorly, was knocked down late in the first round by a right hook and was unable to compete from there. But the 45-year-old businessman praised Joshua for his determination, his desire and his fight to the end. “Joshua always tried to get up, even when he couldn’t get up in round five,” he said, and called Dubois a great performer who deserved the win.
Likewise, Joshua praised his opponent and promised to return soon. “I stayed calm, kept a very professional attitude and respected my opponent,” the 34-year-old said. “I always tell myself that I am a warrior for life. I made a lot of mistakes, and I met a sharp, agile opponent.”
Dubois, meanwhile, had the biggest win of his career in his debut as a world champion. The 27-year-old held the IBF interim heavyweight title in 2024, was promoted to the IBF and became a world champion for the first time after Oleksandr Usyk relinquished the belt. He improved his professional record to 22 wins in 24 fights, with 21 knockouts, for a 95% win rate.
“I’m fighting for all the glory, I’m a hunter hunting for glory,” Dubois said after beating Joshua. “This is a journey and I’m grateful to be in this position. I’m a fighter, a warrior until the end. I want to reach my full potential and reach the pinnacle of this sport.”
Joshua’s knockout win opens the door for Dubois to fight for the heavyweight title in 2025, with the winner of the rematch between Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury scheduled to take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on December 21, 2024.
Dubois affirmed that he wanted to rematch and take revenge on Usyk, when he lost to his Ukrainian opponent in the challenge for the WBA (Super), IBF, WBO, IBO heavyweight titles in August 2023.