The Fall of Anthony Joshua: A Knockout Against Daniel Dubois
October 30, 2024
The recent knockout loss to Daniel Dubois has dramatically altered the landscape of Anthony Joshua‘s career, leaving the former world heavyweight champion in a precarious position. The defeat, marked by Joshua being knocked down four times and ultimately losing in just five rounds, is a stark reminder of the harsh realities of professional boxing.
This loss not only hampers Joshua’s immediate prospects but also shatters his hopes of joining the ranks of legends like Muhammad Ali and Lennox Lewis by claiming the heavyweight title for a third time. As he approaches the age of 35, the specter of retirement looms larger than ever for AJ. Recent rankings reflect this downturn; Joshua has fallen significantly, making it increasingly challenging for him to secure high-quality matchups in the future.
Before facing Dubois, Joshua was ranked third in The Ring‘s heavyweight rankings, buoyed by a streak of four consecutive wins. However, following his lackluster performance in front of 96,000 fans at Wembley, he has dropped to seventh place—his lowest ranking in 2024.
Conversely, Daniel Dubois has seen a meteoric rise, now sitting in second place on The Ring’s list. He trails only the reigning champion, Oleksandr Usyk. With Usyk set to defend his WBC, WBO, and WBA Super titles against Tyson Fury this Christmas, the winner of that matchup may very well face Dubois in a highly anticipated unification bout early next year.
As Dubois’s star shines brighter, the situation for Anthony Joshua continues to deteriorate. In the latest WBO rankings, Joshua has slipped to sixth place, while Usyk remains the heavyweight champion. Joseph Parker currently holds the interim title.
Moreover, on the WBA rankings, Joshua’s name has vanished entirely. Usyk stands as the WBA Super champion, while Dubois has been elevated to the status of mandatory challenger for Usyk.
The current top ten rankings include several formidable contenders such as Martin Bakole, Agit Kabayel, and Zhang Zhilei, all of whom are now vying for the spotlight that Joshua once commanded. This drastic shift serves as a sobering reminder of the volatility within the world of professional boxing and raises questions about what the future holds for Anthony Joshua.
As the boxing community watches closely, fans are left wondering if this will be the end of an era for AJ or if he can stage a remarkable comeback to reclaim his status among the elite in the heavyweight division.
