Eddie Hearn, the promoter for Anthony Joshua, expresses confidence that Joshua will face Daniel Dubois again in a rematch after their encounter at Wembley Stadium. Joshua, aged 34, was knocked out by Dubois in the fifth round of their bout on Saturday, missing the chance to claim the IBF world heavyweight title. However, it appears likely that he will have the opportunity for a rematch against the 27-year-old Dubois.
After the fight, witnessed by a crowd of 96,000, Hearn stated, “I am sure he’ll exercise that rematch clause. I think that’s a given. But he’ll need a rest and it’s a dangerous fight. This guy (Dubois) is growing in confidence all the time, but he’ll believe he can hurt Dubois. He’ll believe he can beat him. Full credit to Daniel Dubois; he deserves all the credit tonight, it was a great performance from Daniel.”
Meanwhile, Dubois’ promoter, Frank Warren, is eager to see Dubois go up against Oleksandr Usyk, who is slated to face Tyson Fury again in December. Warren commented, “Oleksandr Usyk is considered to be at the moment the best heavyweight in the world, and he gave him his toughest fight in their first encounter. I’d like to see him fight Usyk now, but he’s got to face Tyson first, and I think Tyson will take his scalp.”
Warren praised the fighters, saying, “Everybody saw a champion’s performance tonight. Two great fighters in the ring. He’s shown his courage, skills, and resilience.” Dubois himself expressed interest in facing Usyk, stating, “Maybe Usyk, a big shot at my redemption. Anyone… anyone can get it. I’ve just been on a rollercoaster ride. This is my time, this is my redemption story and I’m not going to stop until I reach my full potential.”
Reflecting on his fourth career defeat, Joshua acknowledged Dubois’ performance, noting, “Credit to him and his team. We rolled the dice at success and came up short. I appreciate all the fans who came out tonight. You know I’m ready to kick off in the ring, but I’m going to keep my cool and remain professional while respecting my opponent.”