Anthony Joshua has four options for boxing future after devastating Daniel Dubois KO

Anthony Joshua’s future has come under speculation following his devastating knockout by Daniel Dubois and Barry McGuigan believes the fighter must at least consider hanging up his gloves

Anthony Joshua reacts as he is counted down by referee Marcus McDonnell (
Image: Richard Pelham)

Anthony Joshua is said to be weighing three possible opponents after his crushing defeat to Daniel Dubois, one of whom is Dubois himself.

My son Shane, who trained Dubois for two years, is an advocate of the latter. The other options are Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder. There is, however, a fourth, which I think he should take. Retirement.

Not only is he carrying the physical wear and tear associated with heavy losses, there is mental scarring too, increasing the risk of the same outcome repeating. That said, he has more than earned the right to try to set the record straight if he so wishes.

In the build-up he appeared fine but when the fight loomed he looked tentative and intimidated by Dubois. He was out of his comfort zone.

Dubois rammed the jab down his throat from the off, taking everything away from Joshua. Though the right hand drew the headlines, Dubois won the fight with that jab. It is like getting a flagpole in the face.

Joshua didn’t believe in himself. And Dubois had the right tactics. He improved a lot under Shane and has become an even better fighter since with experience.

Joshua had the reach, height and feet to fight on the move. He should not have been exchanging. It would not have mattered had Dubois built a lead in the early rounds. The key was not to get drawn into a firefight.

Once you get nailed by a puncher like Dubois you are massively compromised. In those situations you have to try to gather yourself, but Joshua had no time because he was eating right hands. Dubois is a modern Sonny Liston but bigger, more powerful and faster. Joshua was fighting an uphill battle trying to get regain his senses never mind get back into the fight.

Anthony Joshua (L) has been told to consider retiring after losing to Daniel Dubois (R) ( 
Image:
Richard Pelham/Getty Images)
He had no coping strategy, no idea of how to survive the crisis, which asks serious questions of his corner. Joshua has shown he does not have great punch resistance, so he has to fight accordingly.

Though he looked plausible in the fifth, winking at the corner and catching Dubois with a good shot. It meant nothing when the right came in to finish it.

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What was he doing double-jabbing and then throwing the uppercut? That was just inexplicable to me, absolutely asking to be taken out.

Should Usyk beat Fury again, as I believe he will, what would Fury v Joshua be worth? Not a lot for me. Still less a fight with a shot Wilder. They might attract the crowds but in legacy terms they would mean nothing.