Anthony Joshua’s choice to keep away from an instantaneous rematch with Daniel Dubois isn’t a shock and he won’t struggle once more, says Matthew Macklin.
Dubois retained his IBF world title in devastating trend at Wembley Stadium in September with a surprising fifth-round knockout of Joshua.
Joshua has chosen to not instantly rematch Dubois in February 2025, with the struggle date not becoming into his plans for subsequent 12 months as he seems to return from a crushing loss.
Former European middleweight champion Macklin was not stunned by the choice, telling Sky Sports activities: “I simply could not see the quick rematch occurring.
“I understood the discuss of it as a result of, for Joshua, his pleasure was hurting, and when your pleasure is hurting, you simply need to get again in there to rectify the scenario.
“However I all the time thought as soon as the mud had settled, it was a struggle that would not occur. The primary struggle could not have been extra conclusive, it was a defeat and a foul knockout.
“Given the place Joshua is in his profession, a loss like that can take lots to return again from. At 34 years of age, you do not get higher, it goes downhill from right here.
“Joshua bounced into the first Dubois fight on the back of two wins with his new trainer, his confidence couldn’t have been higher, but now going into a rematch he will have all sorts of doubts and insecurities.”
‘AJ retirement would not shock me’
Two-time world champion Joshua has had an illustrious profession within the ring however faces a defining interval as he plots his subsequent transfer.
Joshua will likely be contemplating his future within the sport, says Macklin
Who Joshua decides to struggle subsequent may both reignite his quest to be topped three-time world champion or successfully finish his decade of success on the high of the heavyweight division.
“Personally, I think that could be that for Joshua anyway,” Sky Sports activities knowledgeable Macklin added.
“When the dust settles, he has time to reflect and thinks about his next move, it wouldn’t shock me at all if AJ doesn’t box again and retires. And what a career he would have had.
“The Tyson Fury struggle may nonetheless occur if he had been to beat Oleksandr Usyk. It could nonetheless be an enormous struggle, however I simply do not know what AJ’s urge for food for boxing is at this level, it is onerous to say.”
‘Parker 2.0 better than world champion version’
With Joshua stepping aside, WBO interim champion Joseph Parker has emerged as the frontrunner to take on Dubois in his next IBF defence.
The New Zealander has loved a renaissance since his stoppage loss to Joe Joyce in September 2022, propelling himself again into world title competition with spectacular wins over Deontay Wilder and Zhilei Zhang.
“It would be a brilliant match-up,” Macklin continued. “Parker is one of those fighters who has stayed active, taken one risky fight after another. After his win against Wilder and then Zhang, he’s in the form of his career.
“I feel this Joseph Parker is best than the world champion that AJ beat in 2017.
“He was world champion and undefeated then, but the Joseph Parker of today is more experienced, he’s seasoned, he has a great relationship with his new trainer Andy Lee. They are on a roll together and this is the best Joseph Parker there has ever been.
“Will probably be a really powerful struggle for Dubois, however Dubois is within the type of his profession too.
“If you look at his last three wins – Filip Hrgovic, Jarrell Miller and AJ – he’s in the peak of his career, his confidence and form has never been better. It’s a really fascinating fight against Parker.”
Watch Chris Billam-Smith tackle Gilberto Ramirez in a unification of the WBO and WBA cruiserweight world championships on Saturday, reside on Sky Sports activities Combine from 5pm.
