Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn believes Anthony Joshua has overcome his fear of losing and is poised to become the undisputed world heavyweight champion in 2025.
Joshua is set to face Daniel Dubois for the IBF title on September 21, with the aim of meeting the winner of the Tyson Fury-Oleksandr Usyk rematch in December.
A British record crowd of 96,000 is expected to watch the 34-year-old Joshua attempt to become a three-time world champion later this month. The bout continues his resurgence following his losses to Andy Ruiz Jr. and two defeats to Oleksandr Usyk. Hearn believes that those setbacks have changed Joshua’s outlook, and his four-bout winning streak and history of fighting in stadiums have raised questions about how underdog Dubois will handle the pressure of such a massive event.
“The vibe I get is that the fear of losing is not really there anymore,” said the Matchroom promoter. “Because of the Ruiz and Usyk defeats, you’ve been there, experienced that, and know how much it hurts. We don’t look at this fight and think the pressure’s on because if you lose to Dubois, what could happen? We’re just excited for the fight.”
Hearn added, “AJ’s having a great camp, he’s working well with [trainer] Ben Davison and is firing on all cylinders. No fear of losing. At this stage, he takes on all challengers, and this one just happens to have a world championship attached to him.”
Hearn attributes Joshua’s recent success to a change in mindset following his defeats to Andy Ruiz Jr. and Oleksandr Usyk. He believes that these experiences have helped Joshua overcome his fear of losing and focus on his goals.
While Hearn acknowledges the danger posed by Dubois, he questions whether the younger fighter can handle the pressure of a massive stadium fight. Hearn believes that Dubois will need a strong mental fortitude to execute his game plan effectively.
Hearn also credits Joshua’s improved performance to the tactical guidance of his training team, led by Ben Davison and Lee Wylie. He believes that Joshua is most effective when he fully understands and executes his game plan.
