Carl Froch has sent a stern warning to Anthony Joshua over the heavyweight boxer’s future fight plans and believes a certain match-up is a no-go for the former two-time world champion.
Joshua has not fought since being knocked out by Daniel Dubois in an IBF heavyweight showdown at Wembley Stadium last September. The all-British affair was a disastrous night for AJ as his opponent put him down onto the canvas on multiple occasions before the referee eventually put an end to the fight after the final knockdown early in the fifth round.
Joshua has since been nursing an elbow injury, which meant he was not able to schedule a fight for this summer. The Brit has recently undergone successful surgery on the injury, however, meaning plans for his return to the ring by promoter, Eddie Hearn, can resume again. Having said that, though, it may be a little while before the former world titleholder can return to training as rehab could keep him sidelined for up to two months.
Anthony Joshua’s Return to Boxing
AJ’s next fight will likely be his most important
Once Joshua is back to full health, there are a number of fighters he and Hearn may select as an opponent, such as Deontay Wilder, Dillian Whyte, Agit Kabayel, Joseph Parker, and Filip Hrgovic.
Another contest under consideration and one British boxing fans are still keen to witness is between Joshua and former two-time world champion, Tyson Fury, despite the fellow Brit retiring from professional boxing early this year. Many are sceptical about Fury’s retirement announcement, however, as he has made similar comments in the past but has still gone on to compete in the ring.
| Anthony Joshua’s professional boxing record (as of 12/06/25) | ||
|---|---|---|
| 32 fights | 28 wins | 4 losses |
| By knockout | 25 | 2 |
| By decision | 3 | 2 |
An obvious next step for Joshua by some people may be to avenge his loss to Dubois and naturally face him again in a rematch. Joshua has taken immediate rematches before, when seeking to avenge defeats to Andy Ruiz Jr and Oleksandr Usyk, respectively. He managed to defeat Ruiz Jr in a rematch and reclaim his world titles at the time, but he was unable to get the better of Usyk in his second attempt.
Carl Froch Sends Warning to AJ Over Next Fight
There is one guy Froch does NOT want to see Joshua fight next
However, Froch is adamant that Joshua should not face Dubois again because the result would be no different. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Froch on Fighting, he stated: “Another fight with Daniel Dubois, forget it, Dubois, f****** flattens him again. He can’t beat Dubois, he will be frightened to death of getting hit on the chin, and when he does, he will be rendered unconscious again.”
Froch, a former world champion himself, has made negative comments about Joshua’s performances and future in boxing before, and his latest comments are unlikely to go down well with the heavyweight fighter. Nevertheless, Dubois is not an immediate option for Joshua right now as the IBF titleholder has bigger priorities in the imminent future.
Dubois is currently gearing up for an undisputed heavyweight fight with Usyk on the 19th of July at Wembley Stadium, in what will be his chance to become the first British undisputed champion since Lennox Lewis held the mantle 26 years ago. Dubois previously faced Usyk two years ago when he suffered a ninth-round knockout defeat to the Ukrainian.
