Former two-time heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua has been handed a 28-day boxing suspension following his knockout defeat to Daniel Dubois at London’s Wembley Stadium last Saturday.
The British Boxing Board of Control issued the ban, a standard procedure for fighters who suffer TKO or KO losses, according to the Association of Boxing Commissions and Combative Sports.
“AJ has been banned for just under a month by the British Boxing Board of Control. According to the Association of Boxing Commissions and Combative Sports, it is not unusual for a fighter to receive a medical suspension after suffering a TKO or KO loss,” Mirror UK said in a post on Sunday.
The 34-year-old Joshua experienced a brutal night in the ring, falling to the canvas three times before Dubois, known as ‘DDD’, delivered the final blow with a powerful right hand in the fifth round.
This loss marks Joshua’s fourth career defeat, following his shocking 2019 loss to Andy Ruiz Jr. and back-to-back defeats to Oleksandr Usyk in 2021 and 2022.
While the suspension is unlikely to impact Joshua’s immediate plans, as no future fights have been scheduled, it has sparked debate about his boxing future. Former boxer Carl Froch expressed his concerns about Joshua’s performance and future in the sport.
“Anthony Joshua got absolutely battered from pillar to post. He lacked ambition, he lacked self-belief and confidence. His powers of recovery are terrible, he looked exhausted,” Froch stated on his YouTube channel.
Froch went further, questioning Joshua’s desire to continue boxing.
He said, “I question Anthony Joshua’s desire to be in that boxing ring anymore. I don’t think AJ wants it anymore, he shouldn’t be boxing. That performance was weak.”
Meanwhile, Joshua said he remains resolute in his determination to reclaim the world title again noting that he has no intention to retire soon.
In a video statement posted on his X page, Joshua expressed his gratitude to his fans, saying, “We came up short, but look, we have to focus on all the positives. That’s the mindset, and that’s the perspective we need to adopt — a positive one.
“Look at what we’ve achieved in the space of 11 years; it’s phenomenal, and I want to thank every single one of you who has been riding with me. What a rollercoaster journey, but you know what? The problem is that it’s far from over yet.”