Anthony Joshua should have to earn another title shot against IBF heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois by beating one of the solid contenders, like Martin Bakole or Tyson Fury, if he comes out of retirement.
No More Free Passes
Journeyman Dillian Whyte and the faded former WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder are two names that have been mentioned as strong possibilities for Joshua (28-4, 25 KOs) to fight next if ‘The Gypsy King’ Fury can’t be lured out of retirement by Turki Al-Sheikh.
The idea would be that Joshua would use Whyte, 36, or Wilder to rebuild his confidence and status in the boxing world before facing Dubois in a rematch this year. However, those two fighters are no longer relevant in the division today and haven’t been for many years.
What Joshua needs is to beat one of these heavyweights to earn a title shot the way regular fighters do:
– Martin Bakole
– Agit Kabayel
– Zhilei Zhang
– Joseph Parker
– Moses Itauma
AJ’s credibility is gone after his fifth-round knockout loss to Dubois last year on September 21st in London, and he needs to establish himself as a guy deserving of a world title shot. That’s how it’s done for normal fighters, and it’s not fair that Joshua would be given a chance to fight for a world title after beating the washed-up Wilder or Whyte.
Meritocracy Over Star Power
“Where Anthony Joshua is right now, put him in with Dillian Whyte and Deontay Wilder in the next six. If he wins those two fights, then give him a fight against [IBF heavyweight champion] Daniel Dubois if he wants the rematch or Tyson Fury,” said Gareth A. Davies to talkSport Boxing about Anthony Joshua.
“Tyson Fury makes sense if he’s going to box again, but definitely Daniel Dubois. He’s the belt-holder right now, and he’s going in this direction [upwards], whereas Joshua is coming this way [downhill],” said Adam Catterall. “He [AJ] has to win to earn the right to fight.
“There’s got to be a meritocracy about it. His profile has got to go out the window for a second. Joshua has got to win a solid fight in order to get back into the mix. I personally would like to see the Fury fight, and if it’s not Fury, I would like to push him towards Martin Bakole. Why not? Bakole is a top challenger, isn’t he?”
The way boxing is now, fighters who become pseudo-stars, like Joshua, don’t have to earn title shots. They’re given without the need to work up to the position because it’s about business.
If you’re a belt-holder at heavyweight, you’ll fight Joshua because it means a big payday, but it makes boxing seem more like a popularity contest than an actual sport. It can’t be a real sport if popular fighters don’t have to earn title shots like ordinary fighters.
“Bakole is a big favorite in there right now, a big favorite,” said Gareth about how Bakole would be favored to beat the down-and-out 35-year-old Joshua.
AJ would be food for Bakole right now if that fight happens, but at least if he took that fight, he’d be showing that he believes in trying to earn a title shot. Again, it would look bad if Joshua is given a rematch with Dubois after beating 39-year-old Wilder or Whyte.
“Maybe he is, but we’re talking about the best guys against the best guys. Let’s have a go,” said Catterall.
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