Anthony Joshua has to prove himself

Anthony Joshua should have another title shot against IBF heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois, beating one of the solid contenders, such as Martin Bakole or Tyson Fury, if he comes out of retirement.

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Fellow Dillian Whyte and former WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder are two names that have been mentioned as strong possibilities for Joshua (28-4, 25 KOs) to fight next if ‘The Gypsy King’ Fury doesn’t may entice you out of retirement. by Turki Al-Sheikh.

The idea would be for Joshua to use either Whyte, 36, or Wilder to restore his confidence and status in the boxing world before facing Dubois in a rematch this year. However, both of these fighters are no longer relevant in the division today and haven’t been for many years.

What Joshua needs is to beat one of these heavyweights to win the title like regular fighters do:

– Martin Bakole
– Agit Kabayel
– Zhilei Zhang
-Joseph Parker
– Moises Itauma

AJ’s credibility is gone after his fifth-round knockout loss to Dubois last year on September 21st in London, and he needs to establish himself as a man deserving of a world title shot. That’s how it’s done for normal fighters, and it’s not fair that Joshua was given a chance to fight for a world title after beating Wilder or Whyte.

Meritocracy over star power

“Where is Anthony Joshua right now, put him with Dillian Whyte and Deontay Wilder in the next six. If he wins those two fights, then he fights (IFB heavyweight champion) Daniel Dubois if he wants the rematch or Tyson Fury” , said Gareth A. Davies at talkSport Boxing about Anthony Joshua.

“Tyson Fury makes sense if he’s going to box again, but definitely Daniel Dubois. He’s the belt holder at the moment, and he’s going this way (up), while Joshua is going this way (down),” said Adam Catterall . “He (AJ) has to win to earn the right to fight.

“There must be a meritocracy. Your profile needs to go out the window for a second. Joshua needs to win a solid fight to get back into the mix. I personally would like to see Fury fight, and if it’s not Fury, I’d like to push him to Martin Bakole. why not Bakole is a big challenger, isn’t he?

The way boxing is now, fighters who become pseudo-stars, like Joshua, don’t have to win title shots. They are given without needing to be up to the task because it is business.

If you’re a heavyweight belt, you’ll fight Joshua because it means a big payday, but it makes boxing look more like a popularity contest than an actual sport. It can’t be a real sport if popular wrestlers don’t have to earn title shots like regular wrestlers.

“Bakole is a big favorite there at the moment, a big favourite,” Gareth said of how Bakole would be favored to beat 35-year-old Joshua.

AJ would be food for Bakole right now if this fight happens, but at least if he takes this fight, he’d be showing that he believes in trying to earn a title shot. Again, it would look bad if Joshua gets a rematch with Dubois after beating the 39-year-old Wilder or Whyte.

“Maybe it is, but we’re talking about the best guys against the best. Let’s go,” said Catterall.