A shock fifth round knockout loss at Wembley Stadium has likely restricted the two-time world champion’s options going forward
Anthony Joshua‘s hpes for an undisputed heavyweight bout are in ruins after the former two-time world champion was stopped by Daniel Dubois this weekend.
Chasing the IBF heavyweight title to set up a potential blockbuster bout with Oleksandr Usyk or Tyson Fury, the former was floored multiple times on the way to a fifth round loss.
Had Joshua won, such a fight with the latter two was almost assured, but now his dreams look to be in tatters, with a potential trilogy bout against Usyk surely off the cards.
But having vowed to fight on, several options still remain for him as he begins a second career rebuild in the space of almost as many years. DAZN takes a look at the contenders.
Daniel Dubois
The most obvious contender is Dubois himself, with the IBF heavyweight champion having delivered one of the biggest upsets in the heavyweight division on Saturday night.
A rematch clause in the fight contract means that Joshua can go straight back to his fellow Briton and have a second crack at his crown, now with the added incentive of payback.
Eddie Hearn seemed to believe that a second fight would be a likely next option for his fighter, but is it a bout that Dubois would want at all now?
Having legitimised his world champion status with a devasting performance, surely a undisputed bout with the winner of Usyk and Fury’s December rematch is his next goal.
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Deontay Wilder
Arguably one of the five best heavyweights in the world only four years ago, Wilder’s standing has dropped dramatically since a first career loss during his second fight with Fury.
Another defeat in their trilogy bout further dented the American’s pride, and losses since to Joseph Parker and Zhilei Zhang have likely ended any further world title aspirations.
But a bout with Joshua could be a major carrot for both. Though Wilder is no longer spoken of in the same breath as the Briton, Usyk and Fury, he still may have a point to prove.
As for Joshua, victory over another one of the era’s major heavyweights – even one clearly on a downward trajectory – would still be a statement of intent to help rebuild his status.
Tyson Fury
This is the super bout, the white whale that has never quite arrived. For the past decade, Fury and Joshua have – alongside Usyk – been the face of heavyweight boxing.
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Hopes had been high among promoters that a win over Dubois for AJ would lead to an undisputed bout with Fury, finally allowing the pair to settle their rivalry.
But even with Joshua’s loss, this could still be on the cards. If Usyk maintains an unbeaten record and defeats Fury once more, there will be no immediate trilogy fight.
For Fury, Joshua would represent the biggest fish he could still fight if he wanted to – and if they were to finally agree terms, this one would be pure blockbuster drama.