Joshua, known as AJ, started boxing later than most. He quickly rose to fame, winning Olympic Gold in London 2012 and becoming a unified champion in the pro ranks. His career includes big wins over Wladimir Klitschko, Joseph Parker, and Alexander Povetkin.
But AJ's path hasn't been smooth. He lost to Andy Ruiz Jr. before winning the rematch. Then, he suffered back-to-back losses to Oleksandr Usyk in 2021 and 2022. By September 2023, he'd worked his way back into world title contention.
The fight with Dubois didn't go as planned for Joshua. He got knocked down twice in the early rounds before the referee stopped the fight in the fifth.
After the loss, Joshua spoke candidly in an interview:
"You never underestimate your opponent, you never underestimate your opponent, and credit to him and his team."
He also shared some wisdom about self-perception:
"You can't worry about what people say, it's about how you see yourself."
Reports suggest Joshua is keen for another shot at Dubois, allegedly pleading for an immediate rematch. However, their schedules might not line up. Dubois plans to fight again in February, but Joshua is dealing with some nagging injuries and won't be ready by then.
The loss to Dubois was a setback for Joshua, but it's clear he's taking it as a learning experience. He's faced adversity before and bounced back. Now, fans will have to wait and see how AJ responds to this latest challenge in his career.