Anthony Joshua’s actions, second before being knocked out badly by Daniel Dubois, have come into question in a video.
Footage from Wembley shows Joshua pulling tongues multiple times at his opponent despite being dropped three times in the first four rounds. Those actions were already criticized before Joshua told trainer Ben Davison he thought Dubois was ‘sh**’ between the fourth and fifth rounds.
What made the statement even more polarizing was Joshua’s lack of respect for a man who clearly had his number. Statements such as that mid-fight don’t align with Joshua’s ‘Stay Humble’ mantra and his own call for respect from all his opponents in the build-up to fights.
In Joshua’s previous losses, the same happened against Andy Ruiz Jr. and Oleksandr Usyk. It seems the Briton doesn’t take losing as well as he thinks.
A clip doing the rounds on social media unearthed a startling exchange between fighter and trainer, who may well be parting ways after Saturday night’s disastrous display.
“We live for moments like this,” said Joshua as he tried to fathom what was happening to him as Dubois pummeled him from round one.
“Yeah, yeah, one hundred percent. We get through them. That’s what it’s all about,” replied Davison. “We get through them, the warrior spirit.”
Davison added, “But we’ve got to be smart,” to which Joshua responded, “I am, I am.”
The pair then said, ‘Roll that dice’ to each other before Joshua tried to inform Davison that he knew what to expect at the beginning of the fifth.
“At the start of this round, he’ll come out fast,” the former heavyweight champion predicted. A short time later, he stated, “He’s sh**!”
Seconds later, Joshua went for the jugular and came up short, with Dubois laying him out with a sweet right hand. Joshua’s karma was served ice-cold after his derogatory words to the IBF champion.
In the ring, Joshua then threatened to ‘kick-off’ after losing, which some said was ‘childish’ behavior, and it’s not the first time that’s happened either. After losing to Usyk, his actions were deplorable as he took the shine of the Ukrainian’s win by throwing his belts out of the ring and waffling on the microphone.
The fact Joshua also walked second still rankles with many, too. Dubois was the titleholder and should have walked second. If there’s a rematch, this surely must be rectified.
Talks for a second encounter are tipped to occur in the coming weeks, with dates in April and May 2025 already earmarked for another Wembley showdown. Saudi Arabia may also be considered, as the Riyadh season will be underway by then.
However, it will undoubtedly be Dubois vs Joshua 2 as the challenger is the B side after his wipeout defeat in front of over 98,000 attendees.
Read all articles and exclusive interviews by Phil Jay. Learn more about the author, experienced boxing writer, and World Boxing News Editor since 2010. Follow on Twitter @PhilJWBN.
