Former world champion Anthony Joshua has been advised to avoid an immediate rematch against Daniel Dubois due to health concerns and the need for careful career planning. This warning comes after Joshua’s shocking fifth-round knockout loss to Dubois on September 21 at Wembley Stadium.
Boxing trainer Don Charles, who trains Dubois, has urged Joshua to consider his health, stating that a rematch could leave Joshua in a worse state than he is currently in. “He [Joshua] is my boy; I don’t want him to have that rematch because they are not caring about his health,” Charles said during a visit to Ghana.
Carl Froch, a respected voice in the boxing community, also cautioned against an immediate rematch. Froch believes Joshua should take time to regroup, engage in light sparring, and observe the upcoming rematch between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk before making any decisions. “Honestly, I don’t think he should go straight into an immediate rematch with Dubois,” Froch said.
Despite these warnings, some in the boxing world are pushing for an immediate rematch. Veteran heavyweight Derek Chisora believes Joshua should seek redemption quickly, while heavyweight contender Zhilei Zhang has backed Dubois to repeat his victory if a rematch occurs.
The IBF has set a deadline for Dubois to make a voluntary title defence, which could add pressure to Joshua’s decision-making process. Joshua has one more fight left on his Riyadh Season deal, and both Turki Alalshikh, chairman of the Saudi General Entertainment Authority, and Dubois have expressed interest in making the rematch happen.
