Anthony Joshua should retire from boxing, according to former featherweight champion Naseem Hamed. The boxing legend shared his thoughts after Joshua's recent loss to Daniel Dubois in September.
Retirement is often a tough call for boxers, especially with the big money still on offer. The heavyweight division's in a state of flux right now. Tyson Fury's stepped away, Deontay Wilder's trying to come back, and Oleksandr Usyk, at 38, has done it all.
Hamed knows a thing or two about when to hang up the gloves. He ruled the featherweight division from 1995 to 2000 and was the lineal champ from '98 to '01. After his first loss to Marco Antonio Barrera in April 2001, he fought once more before calling it quits for good.
Speaking to YouTube, Hamed didn't mince his words about Joshua's future:
"Listen, whether he can or he can't [make a comeback], I prefer him not to, he's had his day in the sun, he's done great, he's won amazing world titles, he's defended them, he's earned his dough. Listen, he should bow out gracefully and that's it done. When he gets hit on the chin, I don't want to talk about that right now. I like 'AJ', and I like Ben Davison even more, but the right man won tonight, the right man with the desire."
Joshua, a former two-time world champ, got stopped by Dubois in September. But he's not ready to throw in the towel just yet. He's taking some time off to recover from elbow surgery and plans to get back in the ring later this year.
AJ's team has their eyes on a potential clash with Deontay Wilder. They're also holding out hope for a showdown with Tyson Fury if he decides to lace up the gloves again.
