Written by Photo by Richard Pelham/Getty Images
Anthony Joshua still has plans to be a champion again.
The British boxing star fell flat against fellow Englishman Daniel Dubois this past Saturday, being thoroughly dominated for the majority of the contest before Dubois put him down for the count in Round 5 in front of a packed house at London’s Wembley Stadium. Joshua was attempting to hold heavyweight gold for the first time since 2021, but it was Dubois that successfully defended his IBF title while earning the biggest win of his career.
On Monday, Joshua released a statement on social media, thanking his supporters and vowing to continue his run back to the top.
“Yes, I know we came up short, but we’ve got to look at all the positives,” Joshua said. “That’s the mindset and that’s the perspective that we have to have, a positive one. Always. Look at what we’ve achieved in the space of 11 years, it’s phenomenal and I want to thank every single one of you that’s been riding with me. What a roller-coaster journey.
“But you know what the problem is? Is that it’s far from over yet. We’ve done it once, we’ve done it twice. Doing it a third time hasn’t been easy, but I believe it’s something I can achieve. It’s about making the right steps forward, working hard, and proving, and it’s got to come from here [taps chest] more than anything. It can’t come from any external voices or influences, it’s got to come from here, and it’s only been a day, but when I sit back and I’m thinking, I know I’ve got a lot of this. I know I’ve got a lot of this.”
— Anthony Joshua (@anthonyjoshua) September 23, 2024
Joshua, who turns 35 in October, had rattled off four consecutive victories to rebound from a pair of losses to Oleksandr Usyk. He followed a pair of wins over veterans Otto Wallin and Robert Helenius with a stunning knockout of former UFC champion Francis Ngannou, and an impressive performance against Dubois could have set up a long-awaited matchup with Tyson Fury.
Fury is currently set to rematch Usyk on Dec. 21 after losing to the Ukrainian star this psat May. It’s unclear what path Joshua has to eventually booking a matchup with either of this would-be heavyweight rivals, but it sounds like he’s willing to put the work in.
“Keep your seat belts tight, because deep, deep, deep down in here, I know we’ve got a lot more to bring and a lot more to bring to the game,” Joshua said. “Long may it continue.”