Anthony Joshua said he will continue fighting after suffering a devastating knockout defeat against IBF heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois.
Joshua was on the back foot from the outset and never recovered as Dubois sealed victory in five rounds.
Despite seeing his four-fight win streak halted unceremoniously, Joshua rejected the suggestion that he could hang up his gloves.
“Of course I still want to continue fighting,” Joshua said at the post-fight news conference.
“We took a shot at success and came up short. Are we going to run away now or live to fight another day? I’m a warrior.”
Joshua was attempting to join legends Muhammad Ali, Lennox Lewis, Evander Holyfield and Vitali Klitschko in becoming a three-time world heavyweight champion.
Matchroom’s Eddie Hearn, who promotes Joshua, told the 34-year-old not to attend the news conference, but his fighter was adamant that he wanted to deliver a statement to the media.
Joshua, sporting bruises under both eyes and on his neck, did not take questions but gave a statement.
“Always walk with your head up high,” he added.
“We rolled the dice. That’s 13 world title fights, not all of them have been successful but they’ve all been fun and entertaining.
“We want to create history for British boxing and I think we are doing that.”
Almost 500,000 fans have watched Joshua headline in six British stadium fights. His contribution to the growth of British boxing is incontestable.
It was Joshua’s first world title fight since losing his rematch against Oleksandr Usyk for the WBA (Super), IBF and WBO belts in August 2022.
Usyk ‘expected Joshua to win’
WBA, WBC and WBO heavyweight champion Usyk was ringside at Wembley, taking a brief break from his training camp as he prepares for a rematch with Tyson Fury on 21 December.
The Ukrainian, who enjoyed back-to-back successes against Joshua in 2021 and 2022, has become the face of the heavyweight division during a period when the Briton’s grip has slipped away.
“For me it’s a surprise,” Usyk told Sky Sports.
“I expected Anthony to win the fight.”
Usyk is yet to taste defeat in 22 fights as a professional and was undisputed champion at cruiserweight before stepping up to heavyweight and also achieving that feat.
Who could Joshua fight next?
It is a difficult question to answer, fresh from a major defeat, but Joshua seems determined to continue fighting and he will not be lacking options.
Hearn says there is an option to trigger a rematch with Dubois, making him the current frontrunner for Joshua.
But there is also the possibility of fights with Deontay Wilder and Fury.
Wilder’s trainer Malik Scott said recently his heavyweight intended to continue his career despite back-to-back defeats.
A comeback against Wilder may be an attractive option for Joshua, considering he too will be looking for a big win.
Organisers said in the build-up to the Dubois fight that the Fury bout would be available to Joshua even if he loses.
Hearn suggested 2025 was the last year Fury-Joshua could happen, but it remains to be seen if either man has the appetite for it.
BBC
