Joshua Must Be Checked Medically Before Dubois Rematch Decision

Eddie Hearn says Anthony Joshua must be checked out medically before they make a decision on a rematch with IBF heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois. He says Joshua (28-4, 25 KOs) and His Excellency Turki Alalshikh both want the rematch, but AJ has got to be checked out medically before the team decides.

Matchroom promoter Hearn isn’t saying who will decide whether Joshua will pursue the rematch with Dubois. Perhaps Joshua’s trainer, Ben Davison, will make the decision.

Fans overwhelmingly want Davison to be fired for the bungling game plan AJ used and the instructions he gave him before the fifth round. He told Joshua to throw an uppercut, which was the wrong thing to do against a counter-puncher like Dubois.

Hearn doesn’t seem amped up for a Joshua-Dubois rematch as he was five years ago when Andy Ruiz Jr. knocked out Joshua in June 2019. The energy doesn’t seem to be there for the Dubois rematch, but maybe it was less of a shock that Joshua lost to this guy compared to Ruiz. He was brought in as a replacement, and ti was supposed to have been an easy win for Joshua.

“His Excellency wants that fight, and AJ wants that fight. We just got to get everything checked out medically with hands and make sure the date that is being discussed is makeable and make sure we’re ready to take that rematch,” said Eddie Hearn to iFL TV about the rematch between Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois.

If His Excellency Turki Alalshikh wants the rematch, it would be a good idea for Hearn to give him what he wants. It would look bad if Joshua walked away from his knockout loss to face Tyson Fury. That would make him look greedy and afraid.

“AJ has already told me he’s ready, but we’ll speak to the team and see what’s next,” said Hearn.

If Joshua is seriously saying that he wants the rematch, there should be another discussion on the subject because he’s not going to be confident going into a fight against Fury if he swerves the rematch with Dubois.