Anthony Joshua's Private Message to Carl Froch After Dubois Loss: "His Honesty Surprised Me"

Carl Froch reached out to Anthony Joshua after his recent knockout loss to Daniel Dubois. The former super-middleweight champion felt the need to check on Joshua's well-being, despite their history of unfriendly exchanges.

Joshua and Dubois fought for a world heavyweight title, with Joshua suffering a fifth-round knockout defeat. Before the fight, Froch claimed the winner would be a 'paper champion' because Oleksandr Usyk is still considered the true IBF title holder, even though he vacated the belt.

Froch and Joshua haven't always seen eye to eye. They've had arguments over WhatsApp, and Froch has criticized Joshua's decision to leave his former trainer Rob McCracken and disapproved of some of his training methods.

Despite their past tensions, Froch decided to reach out to Joshua after the fight. He explained on his YouTube channel why he felt compelled to do so:

"I had a quick chat with AJ after the fight. I felt I needed to because it was such a bad knockout."

Joshua's response was positive. He told Froch he was "absolutely fine" and his health was "10/10". Joshua also shared a thoughtful reflection on boxing:

"This sport can be unforgiving."

Froch appreciated Joshua's perspective, saying, "Those words stood out to me, so I'm happy about that."

Looking ahead, Froch doesn't think Joshua should rush into a rematch with Dubois. He believes it could end Joshua's career:

"An immediate rematch for me is the end of Anthony Joshua's career and I don't think that should be happening. He's in a really tight spot, a really sticky situation."

Joshua's promoter, Eddie Hearn, has suggested another option. Joshua could wait for the outcome of the Fury and Usyk fight in December before deciding his next move.

The heavyweight division continues to evolve, and Joshua's next steps will be crucial for his future in the sport.