Anthony Joshua expected to exercise rematch clause against Daniel Dubois

Anthony Joshua suffered the fourth loss of his 11-year career Saturday night against Daniel Dubois in an all-British battle at London’s Wembley Stadium, as Joshua got dropped four times en route to a fifth-round knockout. 

If history is any indication, however, Joshua (28-4, 25 KOs) is going to want another crack at the IBF heavyweight beltholder Dubois (22-2, 21 KOs) with hopes of exacting revenge, especially since he’s already shut down any talks of retirement. 

Following the first loss of his career to Andy Ruiz Jr. in June 2019, Joshua got revenge on Ruiz in December 2019 by scoring a landslide unanimous decision win. After his unanimous decision loss to Oleksandr Usyk, Joshua got another chance against the Ukrainian in 2022 but was unsuccessful, this time in a split decision loss. 

The 35-year-old Joshua’s career-long promoter Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Boxing alluded that AJ would be keen for another dance with Dubois despite the one-sided demolition. 

“I think [Joshua] will exercise that rematch clause, I think that’s a given,” Hearn said during his post-fight remarks. “He’ll need a rest, and it’s a dangerous fight. This guy is growing in confidence all the time.

“He’ll believe he can hurt Dubois. He’ll believe he can beat him. But full credit to Daniel Dubois. He deserves all the credit. It was a great performance.

“We have another fight with Riyadh Season and Turki Alalshikh, [chairman of the General Entertainment Authority in Saudi Arabia], and Daniel Dubois is part of that plan, but so too could be Tyson Fury or another heavyweight.

“I think that 2025 is going to be an interesting year for Anthony Joshua, one way or another, but he will definitely be back and whether it’s against Daniel Dubois, Tyson Fury, whoever, you’re going to be entertained.”

The former two-time heavyweight champion Joshua was dropped in rounds one, three, four and five and never fully recovered from the onslaught from the opening frame. 

“It was the first round. After that he was fighting on heart and desire,” said Hearn. “I’m so proud because he never gave up. His legs were deceiving him and he kept on trying.

“When you are in there with a massive puncher, this is what can happen. He never stopped trying to get up, even when he couldn’t get up at the end.

“Daniel deserves credit, he’s a real world champion. Congratulations to him.”

Manouk Akopyan is a sports journalist, writer and broadcast reporter whose work has appeared on ESPN, Fox Sports, USA Today, The Guardian, Newsweek, Men’s Health, NFL.com, Los Angeles Times, Philadelphia Inquirer, Ring Magazine and more. He has been writing for BoxingScene since 2018. Manouk is a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America and the MMA Journalists Association. He can be reached on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube, through email at manouk[dot]akopyan[at]gmail.com or via www.ManoukAkopyan.com.