Anthony Joshua’s trainer, Ben Davison, believes the boxing star ‘wasn’t thinking straight’ in the final stages of his fight with Daniel Dubois on Saturday night.
AJ had gone into the showdown hoping to continue his recent resurgence and to become a three-time world champion.
Yet that didn’t happen, with Dubois superior throughout the clash as he claimed the biggest victory of his career.
Joshua was floored multiple times throughout the bout before finally succumbing to defeat in the fifth round.
Anthony Joshua’s trainer, Ben Davison, believes the boxing star ‘wasn’t thinking straight’ in the final stages of his fight with Daniel Dubois on Saturday night
REUTERS
Davison, speaking at the post-fight press conference, admitted Joshua struggled right from the start.
“We knew Dubois, he retreats when he jabs,” he said.
“We tried to capitalise on that [but] for whatever reason, things didn’t get going in the early part of the fight.
“We just didn’t manage to get things going early.”
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Davison then expressed a belief that Joshua ‘wasn’t thinking straight’ in the closing stages.
The 34-year-old threw some big punches as he attempted to secure a remarkable knockout win.
Yet that left Joshua exposed, with the Watford-born star floored for the final time in the fifth round.
Davison added: “Then [there were] a couple of things we were trying to capitalise on at the end.
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“A very short spell, landing that right hand, following up moments like that, but we didn’t apply the way we wanted to.
“By that point a lot has gone on, he’s not thinking straight.”
With Joshua now losing three of his last seven fights, criticism has been flooding in.
Carl Froch, Steve Bunce and Johnny Nelson have all suggested that he may struggle to bounce back after such a big setback.
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Anthony Joshua’s trainer Ben Davison has opened up following the boxing star’s defeat to Daniel Dubois on Saturday night
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But Eddie Hearn has hit back at criticism of his fighter, while also congratulating Dubois on his victory.
“Everyone is very fickle, aren’t they?” said the boxing promoter.
“Yesterday he was in the form of his life, has never looked better – wow, this is unbelievable this new resurgence.
“He has a bad start, gets dropped, tries to recover his feet and just goes to war with no legs. And finds a way back into the fight and walks on to one.
Anthony Joshua suffered one of the worst defeats of his boxing career as he was comprehensively outplayed and outclassed by Daniel Dubois at Wembley on Saturday night
REUTERS
“It’s heavyweight boxing and that was the danger of this fight.
“It was a thriller and we just felt the tide was about to change, but you have to give Daniel credit.”
Hearn also confirmed Joshua was set to go up against Dubois in a rematch.
Dubois is keen of a rematch of his own with Oleksandr Usyk, having lost to the Ukrainian last year.