Is it time for Anthony Joshua to retire?
After his latest brutal defeat, British boxing's 'poster boy' has a difficult choice to make

Anthony Joshua stands at a crossroads in his boxing career following his shock defeat to fellow Briton Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium.
The two-time world heavyweight champion, now 34, "never stood a chance" against his younger opponent, said The Times, who sent him "crashing to the canvas and oblivion" in a fight that clearly proved Joshua's "crown had long gone".
Dubois, 27, delivered "bomb after bomb", sending "shivers through the boxing world" in an effort "worthy of his hero Mike Tyson".
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
It was a staggering blow for Joshua, who became the "poster boy of British boxing" after winning Olympic gold in 2012 at the age of 22, said the BBC. However, after a series of shattering defeats, his "reputation has become tarnished" and his future in the sport is cast into doubt.
'Final defeat'?
Joshua's "gravest humiliation yet" has come weeks before his 35th birthday, and he is "now, surely, over the hill", said The Telegraph's Oliver Brown. Given he is fast approaching the age at which he "once promised to retire", this could be an appropriate choice for the man who otherwise faces his career "running out of road".
This was a "pitiless display of punching power" from Dubois, who "bludgeoned Anthony Joshua to the canvas" four times, while demonstrating not only "brute force" but "clarity of thinking and calm resolve", said The Guardian's Donald McRae. These tactics proved too much for Joshua. While he was "vanquished but still admirable", this should be his "final defeat" before he bows out of the sport for good.
There is no doubt "Joshua's star has not dimmed" among his adoring fans, many of whom were chanting his name at the weekend, said the i news site's Katherine Lucas. But this fight proves "the writing is on the wall – even if Joshua is not ready to admit it just yet".
Joshua 'wants to fight on'
Despite Saturday's "devastating knockout loss", it is clear Joshua's loss is not "career-ending", said ESPN's Nick Parkinson. He is the "second-highest-paid" boxer in the world, according to Forbes, and as long as he "wants to fight on, big offers will continue to come his way".
And come they no doubt will. "Future money-spinning fights may await" Joshua, said McRae, and they may prove difficult to turn down.
Perhaps one of the most hotly anticipated events in the sport is a fight between Joshua and Tyson Fury, "two of British boxing's biggest names in recent years", said CNN. While the pair have "seemed destined to face off", ultimately the fight "has always failed to materialise".
But when it comes to Joshua's next steps, such a bout would be the "sensible option", said The Telegraph's Gareth A. Davies, given that it would once again revitalise "interest" in the beleaguered boxer.
"The thing is with boxers, all the money is great, but it's your identity," former world champion Barry Jones told BBC Radio 5 Live. "What do you do if you're not a boxer anymore?"
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Rebekah Evans joined The Week as newsletter editor in 2023 and has written on subjects ranging from Ukraine and Afghanistan to fast fashion and "brotox". She started her career at Reach plc, where she cut her teeth on news, before pivoting into personal finance at the height of the pandemic and cost-of-living crisis. Social affairs is another of her passions, and she has interviewed people from across the world and from all walks of life. Rebekah completed an NCTJ with the Press Association and has written for publications including The Guardian, The Week magazine, the Press Association and local newspapers.
-
7 tranquil hotels worth the trek
The Week Recommends Find serenity off the beaten path
By Catherine Garcia, The Week US
-
'From his election as pope in 2013, Francis sought to reform'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US
-
Israel blames 'failures' for killing of medics
speed read 14 Gaza medics and 1 U.N. employee were killed by IDF special forces
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Torpedo bats could revolutionize baseball and players are taking notice
In the Spotlight The new bats have been used by the New York Yankees with tremendous success
By Justin Klawans, The Week US
-
George Foreman: The boxing champ who reinvented home grills
Feature He helped define boxing’s golden era
By The Week US
-
How is March Madness changing in the era of NIL and sports betting?
Today's Big Question College sports has experienced a revolution. NIL payments are letting players get paid. The rise of sports betting has brought new pressures to the game.
By Joel Mathis, The Week US
-
MLB is bringing home top talent from Japan's most popular sport
The Explainer Players like Shohei Ohtani have become the face of Major League Baseball
By Justin Klawans, The Week US
-
Canada beats US in charged 4 Nations hockey final
Speed Read 'You can't take our country — and you can't take our game,' Prime Minister Justin Trudeau posted after the game
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Eagles trounce Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX
speed read The Philadelphia Eagles beat the Kansas City Chiefs 40-22
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
New women's basketball league looks to build on the sport's success with fans
In the Spotlight Unrivaled will provide an offseason opportunity for WNBA players
By Justin Klawans, The Week US
-
How should the cricketing world handle Afghanistan?
Talking Point England under pressure to boycott upcoming men's match against the nation, which remains an ICC member despite Taliban ban on women's team
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK