British boxer Tyson Fury has expressed his sympathy for former two-time heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua following his unexpected knockout loss to IBF world heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois at Wembley in September.
Joshua entered the match as the favourite but was ultimately overpowered by Dubois, who secured a knockout victory in the fifth round. This defeat marked Joshua’s fourth loss in his professional career and put a halt to his aspirations of becoming a three-time world champion.
The fight showcased Dubois’s impressive performance, as he knocked Joshua down several times in front of 98,000 fans before landing a decisive right-hand punch that left Joshua on the canvas.
Promoter Eddie Hearn has stated that Joshua’s next steps will either be a rematch with Dubois or a bout against Fury.
In an interview with Sky News, Fury, scheduled to face unified champion Oleksandr Usyk on December 21 after a previous encounter with him in May, commented on Joshua’s situation, saying, “I feel for him at the moment, especially after such a challenging outing. He must regroup and consider his future after this fight.”
The British boxing legend added, “Seeing a worthy opponent lose can be disheartening, and I felt a sense of sadness for him. It’s tough to witness someone with so much potential face such a setback.”
Regardless of Joshua’s losses, Fury remains open to fighting him, emphasizing that at this stage in their careers, the quality of the matches is what truly matters: “I believe it would still be an entertaining fight for fans.”
In the meantime, Fury’s immediate focus is on a potential trilogy with Usyk.
“I’d like to create a trilogy with Usyk; it would be one win each, leading to a decisive match. Achieving three trilogies would be a remarkable feat in heavyweight history,” he stated.