Anthony Joshua should earn another title shot against IBF heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois by beating one of the solid contenders, such as Martin Bakole or Tyson Fury, if he comes out of retirement.
No Free Passes
Journeyman Dillian Whyte and 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 for Joshua to 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 like the regular fighters:
– Martin Bakole
– Acts Kabaiel
– Zhilei Zhang
– Joseph Parker
– Moses Itauma
AJ’s credibility is gone after his fifth round loss to Dubois last year on September 21st in London, and he needs to establish himself as a guy who deserves a world title shot. This is how it is done for normal fighters, and it is not fair that Joshua is given the opportunity to fight for a world title after beating the washed-up Wilder or Whyte.
Meritocracy over Star Power
“Where Anthony Joshua is now, put him 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 Gareth A. Davies told TalkSport Boxing about Anthony Joshua.
“Tyson Fury makes sense if he’s going to box again, but definitely Daniel Dubois. He’s the belt now, and he’s going in this direction (up), while Joshua is coming from there (down),” said Adam Catterall. “He (AJ) has to win to earn the right to fight.
“There has to be a meritocracy in this. His profile has to go out the window for a second. Joshua has to win a solid fight to get back in the mix. Personally I’d like to see the Fury fight, and if he doesn’t not Fury, I’d like to push him towards Martin Bakole. Why not? Bakole is a major challenger, isn’t he?”
The way boxing is now, fighters who become pseudo-stars, like Joshua, don’t need to earn title shots. They are given without needing to work up to the position because it is about business.
If you’re a heavyweight belt, you’ll beat Joshua because it means a big payday, but it makes boxing look more like a popularity contest than an actual sport. It can’t be a real sport if popular fighters aren’t going to earn title shots like ordinary fighters.
“Bakole is a big favorite at the moment, a big favourite,” said Gareth on how Bakole would be favored to beat 35-year-old Joshua.
AJ would be food for Bakole right now if this fight happens, but at least if he took that fight, he would show 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 the 39-year-old Wilder or Whyte.
“Maybe it is, but we’re talking about the best guys against the best. Let’s go,” Catterall said.
