Froch, a well-regarded figure in the boxing world, emphasized that Joshua should take time to recover and regroup after his unexpected fifth-round knockout defeat to Dubois on September 21 at Wembley.
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“Honestly, I don’t think he should go straight into an immediate rematch with Dubois,” Froch said. “If the fight had gone differently, there might have been an argument for it. But Joshua should head back to the gym, do some light sparring, and see what happens between Fury and Usyk in their rematch. This will give him some time to regroup and figure out how much he really wants that fight.”
The fight, which saw Joshua knocked down several times before the decisive knockout, has left the British-Nigerian boxer at a pivotal point in his career. However, his promoter, Eddie Hearn, recently shared that the 34-year-old is still processing the loss.
“It’s still quite fresh, only three weeks ago. He’s devastated by the defeat,” Hearn told DAZN. “There’s a period of time within AJ’s contract where he has to make a decision, and it’s not up yet, but he’s thinking hard. He’s resting his body and figuring out what he wants to do.”
Despite Froch’s caution, some within the boxing community are advocating for an immediate rematch. Veteran heavyweight Derek Chisora argues that Joshua should not delay in pursuing redemption.
“He should jump on the rematch straight away,” Chisora said on ‘The Stomping Ground’. “Listen, shout out to Daniel Dubois, the new champion, but Joshua should go for it, bro. What else is he going to do?”
Adding to the drama, heavyweight contender Zhilei Zhang has thrown his support behind Dubois, predicting a repeat victory if a rematch happens. “This loss—I’m not sure where it leaves Joshua mentally, but a rematch could be even worse for him,” Zhang told Seconds Out.
Although no formal rematch clause exists, sources suggest Joshua has one fight remaining on his Riyadh Season contract. Both Turki Alalshikh, chairman of the Saudi General Entertainment Authority, and Dubois have expressed interest in organizing a second showdown.
As Joshua considers his next move, the IBF has set a deadline for Dubois to make a voluntary title defence, adding urgency to the decision. The coming weeks will be pivotal as Joshua weighs the need for immediate redemption against the risks in an unpredictable heavyweight division.
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