Dillian Whyte reflects on whether Anthony Joshua should retire after Daniel Dubois defeat and explains why big fights don’t always happen in the heavyweight division
Dillian Whyte remains convinced Anthony Joshua still has a lot to offer in the boxing world and insists AJ ‘had’ Daniel Dubois exactly where he wanted him before the 27-year-old delivered the ‘final blow’ that ended their showdown .
Dubois retained his IBF world heavyweight title with a career-defining performance against Joshua on September 21. Fighting in front of a record crowd of 98,000 at Wembley Stadium, the Queensberry fighter knocked Joshua down four times before securing a fifth-round knockout.
The defeat was a bitter setback for Joshua, who had hoped to reclaim the heavyweight throne and become a three-time world champion by beating the 27-year-old.
While some are questioning whether AJ should consider retirement, citing a perceived loss of his ‘spark’, Whyte is adamant that the two-time world heavyweight champion still has more to offer.
Speak with Sky Sports News After Joshua’s loss to Dubois, Whyte was unequivocal in his support for AJ: “He’s still got a lot left in the tank and he’s still a big draw.”
Whyte pointed to Joshua’s power as proof he remains a force in the division: ‘As you can see in the fight, he’s still a big puncher. He let Dubois go before Dubois got the final blow.”
Dillian Whyte remains convinced Anthony Joshua still has a lot to offer in the boxing world and insists AJ ‘had’ Daniel Dubois exactly where he wanted him before the knockout
Dubois (right) knocked out Joshua (left) in the fifth round of their IBF heavyweight title fight at Wembley Stadium on September 21
‘AJ’ was sent to the canvas after a brilliant counter-punch from Dubois in September
When asked about the possibility of a retirement for Joshua, Whyte dismissed the idea: “It’s hard to say: he’s young, he’s strong and he looks fantastic. He still has a lot of fight left in him.
‘People put too much emphasis on defeat in heavyweight boxing. That’s why many fights don’t happen. They’re not being made because people put a lot of emphasis on winning, losing and drawing, rather than enjoying the fact that two top players are now competing against each other, which didn’t happen a few years ago.’
The prospect of a rematch between Joshua and Dubois is already generating excitement, with fans eager to see if the drama of their first fight can be repeated.
A second clash between the two would likely appeal to a global audience, given the high stakes and spectacle of their first meeting.
In their first meeting, Dubois broke with tradition as reigning champions and entered Wembley Stadium first.
Once in the ring, the 27-year-old wasted no time in showcasing his power, dropping Joshua with a huge knockdown in the opening round.
A stunned Joshua retreated to his corner at the end of the first round to seek advice from trainer Ben Davison.
In the second round, AJ managed to weather the storm and held his ground as the IBF Heavyweight Champion pushed forward.
Despite Joshua’s resilience, he struggled to regain control of the fight. In the closing seconds of the third round he was sent to the canvas again after another thunderous shot from Dubois.
Wembley were stunned when Joshua failed to recover from a brutal right hook in the fifth round
Dubois celebrated his IBF heavyweight title in front of 96,000 fans at Wembley Stadium
Dubois kept the pressure up in the fourth round, landing another crushing hook that left Joshua’s corner visibly concerned.
Somehow, the 34-year-old dug deep and got back up, despite the punishment he endured.
The fight came to a dramatic end in the fifth round. Joshua briefly caught Dubois with a powerful shot and charged forward, but the IBF champion responded with a perfectly timed counter right hook that sent AJ down for the fourth and final time.
Joshua tried to get up but stumbled, forcing the referee to call off the fight.
The prospect of a rematch is already fueling speculation, with fans eager to see if Dubois can replicate his dominant performance or if Joshua can bounce back.
The stakes for a second fight are enormous, and the outcome will likely have far-reaching consequences for the heavyweight division.