Joshua's recent setback follows a string of disappointments. In July 2019, Andy Ruiz Jr. caught him early and stopped him, though Joshua won the rematch. Then came two back-to-back points losses to Oleksandr Usyk in 2021 and 2022. While Joshua never hit the canvas in those 24 rounds with Usyk, his latest fight was a different story.
The 27-year-old Dubois knocked Joshua down several times. A heavy knockdown in the first round set the tone, and the fight ended with Joshua stopped in the fifth.
Former heavyweight champion Hasim Rahman shared his thoughts on the fight in an interview with YouTube channel FightHype.com. Rahman had seen it as a 50-50 fight beforehand.
"Dubois fights with reckless abandonment, trying to knock out. Joshua fought passively and got caught with the shot."
Rahman thinks Joshua needs to make a change. His suggestion? Bring in Lennox Lewis as a trainer.
"Lewis could take Joshua to heavyweight championship. He'd be the best trainer for Joshua. They should put aside discrepancies and create an all-British dream team. It could help Joshua reclaim the title for a third time."
Lewis and Joshua have had their share of public disagreements in the past. Their rocky relationship has been well-documented. But Rahman sees potential in the pairing, noting Lewis's own career. The former undisputed champion avenged his losses in rematches against both Oliver McCall and Rahman himself.
For now, Joshua seems settled with his current trainer, Ben Davison. He's vowed to fight on despite this latest setback. The boxing world will be watching to see how he bounces back from this defeat and what changes, if any, he'll make to his team.