Trainer Tony Sims points out that Anthony Joshua’s recent setback in his loss to Daniel Dubois is a sign of him aging, as all fighters do sooner or later if they stay around the sport.
Company with care
Joshua can still win if he is matched carefully, as his promoter Eddie Hearn had done for him recently, until his KO defeat to Dubois. AJ has enough to defeat Tyson Fury later and continue, but he will need Hearn to face him against non-punchers.
The 35-year-old Joshua (28-4, 25 KOs) suffered his fourth career defeat, losing to IBF heavyweight champion Dubois (22-2, 21 KOs) by fifth round KO on the 21 September in front of a large crowd. of 96,000 fans at Wembley Stadium in London.
Joshua had looked good in his previous four fights against tune-up opposition, but was outmatched against Dubois and was dropped four times in the fight.
It looked at one point that the referee was going to stop the contest in the fourth round after Joshua was dropped, but he seemed to change his mind when he saw AJ get up. Many felt the fight should have been cancelled.
“He had a great career, but everybody gets old. There are always young people who come through, and Daniel Dubois was that young man who came through,” Tony Sims told Secondsout, talking about Anthony Joshua. “There will be a day when he is Joshua’s age (34), and someone else will come though, and this is the way that boxing evolves.
“Great champions get old, and young people pass. It’s part of history that happens. I believe that’s what happened. Joshua had a great career. What he did for our sport is amazing. He brought stadiums, massive stadiums, packing the O2 Arenas.He brought boxing to the fore in Britain.
“It’s a short career. One minute, you’re the young one in the gym, and the next minute, you’re the oldest in the gym, and so fast. That’s what I believed happened. Everyone moves on, and it’s time to Dubois. One day, it will be the time of another young man. Maybe Moses will come to the table. It’s just age, and that’s what happens.
Joshua has only lost to these three fighters:
– Andy Ruiz
– Oleksandr Usyk x 2
– Daniel Dubois
It’s not like Joshua has lost too many different fighters during his career, and he still has the power, speed and skills to keep winning for another decade.
What’s next for Joshua?
“He’s a very, very rich man, maybe one of the richest to ever come from these shores. He doesn’t need to fight, but if he does, he’ll watch Tyson Fury,” Sims said.
The promoters are already talking about Joshua fighting Tyson Fury next, and there is a good possibility that we will see that happen. Joshua chose not to take a rematch with Daniel Dubois, and he did not risk facing Oleksandr Usyk again after losing twice. There aren’t any other compelling fights for him in the division that fans want to see AJ take on other than Fury.
