Whether he agrees to a rematch or travels in a different direction, Anthony Joshua’s brutal fifth-round KO of Daniel Dubois has certainly left the 27-year-old in a much stronger position.
Dubois’ win saw him move up Boxing News Ranking from sixth place to third place in our world’s top 10. Only two men remain ahead of Daniel: Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury, who meet in a rematch on December 21. Usyk had previously beaten Dubois, by ninth-round stoppage in a Polish affair in 2023.
However, given Dubois’ success since that night, coupled with his never-ending low-strike feud, followed by wins over Jarrell Miller, Filip Hrgovic and now Joshua, the heavyweight would fancy his chances at a second try. If Usyk beats Fury, of course. If Fury wins, depending on the circumstances, then a third fight could be put on the table, leaving the best of the rest to fight each other for scraps at the bottom of the table.
Anthony Joshua’s stunning defeat saw him fall to Zhilei Zhang and Joseph Parker, the latter being a heavyweight he has already beaten. Zhang also lost to Parker, but would be considered a handful for anyone. The Chinese southpaw is rumored to be close to agreeing a clash with another heavyweight beast in the form of Boxing News’ number 10-ranked heavyweight Martin Bakole.
Fast-rising Agit Kabayel, who has been talking about a possible Joseph Parker fight next, is seventh, aiming for a top-five finish. Deontay Wilder (#9) and Filip Hrgovic (#8) remain attached to their respective positions.
