Anthony Joshua is still on the hunt for his third world title reign
Despite the one-sided beatdown Anthony Joshua sustained from underdog Daniel Dubois on Saturday night, September 21, at Wembley Stadium, the two-time world champ aims to continue in his quest to win a third world title.
The firm favourite going into his IBF World heavyweight title challenge, Joshua was unusually slow, unable to pull the trigger, and had no reactions to avoid any of the attacks coming his way.
He was down in four of the five rounds, before he was KO’d completely in the fifth. It signalled his fourth career defeat and second failure to win back his world titles.
The 34-year-old from Watford said post-fight, “Credit to him and his team. We rolled the dice of success, but we came up short. You know I’m ready to kick off in the ring, but I’m going to keep my cool, keep very professional, and give respect to my opponent.
“I’m always saying to myself, I’m a fighter for life. We keep rolling the dice. I had a sharp opponent, a fast opponent, and a lot of mistakes from my end, but that’s the game.”
Joshua’s chin was constantly found hung in the air, his head snapped back by Dubois’ powerful jabs. He also carried his left arm too low and was susceptible to the overhand right all night long. It was this punch that knocked him down in the opening round.
“We came up short, but we’ve got to look at all the positives. That’s the mindset. That’s the perspective we’ve got to have – a positive one, always.
“Look at what we’ve achieved in the last 11 years. It’s phenomenal. I want to thank every single one of you who has been riding with me.”
AJ added his intentions to continue his career, “What a rollercoaster journey, but you know what the problem is? It’s far from over yet. We’ve done it once, we’ve done it twice, and doing it a third time hasn’t been easy, but it’s something I can achieve.
“It’s about making the right steps forward, working hard and improving. It’s got to come from the heart more than anything. It can’t come from any external voices or influences; it’s got to come from the heart.
“It’s only been a day, but when I sit back and think, I know I’ve got a lot of heart. Thanks for your support, thanks for being on this rollercoaster journey with me.
“Keep your seatbelt tight because deep, deep, deep down in here, I know I’ve got a lot more to bring to the game, and long may it continue,” Joshua concluded.
Full fight report