“No Disrespect” Daniel Dubois Has Now Made His Mind Up On Rematching Anthony Joshua Next

Daniel Dubois put in the performance of his career against Anthony Joshua last month, legitimising his status as world heavyweight champion

‘DDD’ was far too much for Joshua on fight night, dropping him three times before an emphatic knockout in the fifth. The win marked his first defence of the IBF belt. Talk has now turned to his next move and whether or not he will indulge ‘AJ’ in an immediate rematch

Speaking to Seconds Out, Dubois – echoing recent words from his promoter Frank Warren that the second fight is ‘a no brainer’ – said that if Joshua wants it it will happen

“The future is now what’s next? We’re making plans for what we’re gonna do now. I’ve heard AJ wants the rematch. We’ll see. If he wants it, I want it too. We came out on top on the night. I was the better man on the night but there’s no disrespect. I’m not gonna badmouth him or anything, it was a great fight and if we can do it again it’ll be even bigger.

Asked what the ultimate goal was, the 27-year-old said he wants to collect all the heavyweight titles. As the other three major belts are tied up in the rematch between Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury, he feels another fight with Joshua is a good move

“I’d love to become undisputed champion, collect all the belts and do it that way. Really reach the top of my game. I feel like I need to keep fighting the best. I fought the last three guys, some of the best in the world, so I need to keep that run going. I feel like the AJ rematch is a positive step. Just the way the fight was. It was exciting, everything the fans wanted to see. I’d be even better, even more up for it if we did it again.”

As for what he might do differently, Dubois believes he will be even more sharp and focused – a tough task after that career-best performance.

READ MORE : Heavyweight Boxer Robert Helenius Banned Months After Losing To Anthony Joshua

“Without giving too much away, I think I’d be more up for it. More belief in myself. I was up for it, but more controlled, more speed. Everything. AJ as well, he’ll bring it and come to win like he did last time but I just feel like it’s my time. Being a world champion, having the IBF belt, it’s just the icing on the cake. I need to keep this run going.”

Warren has confirmed Dubois will return to the ring in February of next year. A decision on the rematch, which now looks like it solely lies on Joshua’s team, could be made as early as this week.

 Could the heavyweight championship rematch be February ‘surprise’? Anthony Joshua vs Daniel Dubois

Some of boxing’s biggest names could feature in a “big surprise” early in 2025, with a potential rematch between Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois being considered for February of next year.

In an exclusive interview with Sky Sports, Turki Alalshikh, chairman of the General Entertainment Authority, which stages the Riyadh Season events, revealed that a major fight card is being put together that will pit rival promoters Queensberry and Matchroom against each other.

In June Queensberry beat Matchroom in a ‘5 vs 5’ team match. A second version of that event is being worked on for February which could see Daniel Dubois rematch Anthony Joshua.

Speaking after the Artur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol press conference, Alalshikh told Sky Sports: “See in February again Queensberry against Matchroom, 5 vs 5, we will finish it maybe this week with a big surprise and then let’s see the result about this fight, the result of the big fight December 21, [Oleksandr] Usyk-Tyson [Fury].

“Joshua, Dubois, Tyson, Usyk, everyone, everyone on the line.

“This is what we want. We want the big fights and to see who’s really the best fighters in each division.”

Last month Dubois, the holder of the IBF heavyweight world title, blasted Joshua, a former two-time unified world champion, down to a stoppage defeat inside five rounds at Wembley.

Queensberry’s Frank Warren, Dubois’ promoter, welcomed the prospect of a rematch.

“It’s all about styles but also with AJ, you’ve got to put him on the back foot and that’s what he did,” Warren told Sky Sports.

READ MORE : Usyk Rates The Power Of Anthony Joshua And Tyson Fury After Beating Both: “I Will Not Hide It”…

“He put him on the back foot. That first jab he threw snapped his head back and that set the pattern of the fight. I think it was the fourth round, he caught Daniel with an uppercut, that was his most significant punch.

“[But] you want AJ to trade with you, because if he trades, he’s vulnerable. Once he throws that punch, you can catch him on the counter and that’s what he did.”

Matchroom’s Eddie Hearn, who promotes Joshua, previously told Sky Sports: “I know that he is leaning towards the rematch because he wants to win the world heavyweight title.

“Fighting [Deontay] Wilder, [or] waiting for Fury, and then you’ve got all next year bubbling around not really fighting for the world heavyweight title.

“If it’s solely down to AJ, which it will be at the end of the day, I think it’s going to be very hard to talk him out of taking the rematch.”