Anthony Joshua’s rematch with Daniel Dubois is in jeopardy, as promoter Eddie Hearn has raised concerns over the planned February date.
Hearn pointed out that the quick turnaround following their last fight might be too soon for Joshua, putting the highly anticipated bout at risk.
Joshua suffered a brutal fifth-round knockout loss to Dubois at Wembley in September, where he was dropped four times.
Since then, plans have been in place for a rematch to be staged in Saudi Arabia in February, giving Joshua a chance at redemption. However, Hearn revealed that the proposed timeline is proving to be a challenge.
“Our concern at the moment is just timing,” Hearn told Sky Sports.
“You’ve got a few little niggles; you get them looked at, and then you can’t punch again for four, five weeks. If we’re going to fight him in February, we need to start camp in about three weeks’ time. It’s quite a fast turnaround.”
Despite the hurdles, Hearn confirmed that Joshua is still eager to face Dubois again.
However, he hinted at a potential postponement, with May being a more realistic target for the rematch.
“Ideally, we’d like to return around May time. It does feel as though it’s coming on quite quickly,” Hearn said.
“From a body perspective, we could probably do with a little bit more time. Sometimes it’s not ideal, and you just go for it. But we just need to decide if we’re going to be ready.”
While the February date is not yet ruled out, Hearn emphasised that it would require a swift decision. “Joshua has told me categorically, ‘I want the match.’ But it’s just a case of whether he’s going to be ready for February, and that’s something they’re going to have to decide. It’s not ruled out, but we do appreciate it’s a fast turnaround,” Hearn added.
There is also the possibility of Joshua opting to fight Tyson Fury instead, should Fury prevail in his upcoming rematch against Oleksandr Usyk on December 21. Fury, 36, lost to Usyk, 37, in their undisputed title decider in May, but a victory in their next encounter could open the door for a blockbuster bout against Joshua.
Hearn did not dismiss the prospect of bypassing Dubois for a more lucrative fight against Fury next summer, saying, “It would be frustrating if we made the Dubois rematch and Fury won.
“Then we’re sitting there going, ‘Hang on a minute, we’re fighting Dubois, but we could have fought Fury in May for the biggest fight in boxing.’ Win or lose, we can fight Fury next summer. But if he wins, AJ fights him for the world title.”
The decision on whether to proceed with the Dubois rematch in February or delay it remains uncertain, but for now, the future of Joshua’s next fight hangs in the balance.