By Kawaekwune Jeffrey
Anthony Joshua suffered a brutal defeat against IBF heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois at Wembley on Saturday, In the all-British showdown, Joshua was floored four times before Dubois sealed the win with a knockout in the fifth round.
Despite this being Joshua’s fourth career loss, he vowed to continue fighting. Speaking after the match,
Joshua said: “Of course I want to continue fighting… We took a shot at success and we came up short. What does that mean now? That we’re going to run away? We’re going to live to fight another day. And that’s what I am — I’m a warrior.”
He added: “Always walk with your head high… There were a few mistakes in there but that’s the name of the game. Fine margins will cost you at the top level.”
Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, also weighed in, expressing optimism for Joshua’s future. Speaking on the matter, Hearn said, “2025 is going to be an interesting year for Anthony Joshua… Whether it’s against Daniel Dubois, Tyson Fury, or whoever, you are going to be entertained.”
Dubois, 27, will now look to challenge Ukraine’s Oleksandr Usyk, who holds multiple heavyweight titles, including the WBC, WBO, and WBA belts. Dubois, confident after his victory.
Dubois said: “They were all saying I was going to get knocked out but we all saw who got knocked out… This is just the start of my journey. I want to get my rematch (against Usyk) and put that wrong right.”