Carl Froch wants Anthony Joshua to hang up his gloves. The former super middleweight champion has called for Joshua to retire from professional boxing, worried about his health and recent losses.
Froch, known for not holding back his opinions, shared his thoughts with Sporting Talk. He said:
"AJ' should retire from professional boxing, in my opinion. He's had a good career, he's done so much for the sport of boxing, but he's not elite level when he gets wiped out by [Ruiz Jr ], that little fat kid from Mexico. And then he gets outclassed twice [by Usyk] and then he gets wiped out by Daniel Dubois. He's got 150 million quid in the bank, why does he need another 20 million? He could end up in a wheelchair."
Joshua, a former world heavyweight champion, has faced some tough losses lately. He's been beaten by Andy Ruiz Jr, Oleksandr Usyk, and Daniel Dubois. These defeats have led to questions about his future in the sport.
Despite Froch's plea, Joshua plans to return to the ring this year. He's recovered from a minor elbow surgery after his loss to Dubois. There's talk of a possible fight with Jake Paul. Joshua's promoter, Eddie Hearn, puts the chances of this match-up at 50/50.
Joshua lost his last world title to Oleksandr Usyk in 2022. A fight with Jake Paul probably won't put him back in the world title picture anytime soon. Many fans would rather see Joshua face Tyson Fury if Fury comes out of retirement.
Froch and Joshua have a bit of history. Joshua once trained with Froch's long-time coach, Rob McCracken. Froch has often said Joshua isn't a truly elite fighter because of his losses.
It's worth noting that Froch has a reputation for feuds in the boxing world. He's had public spats with Joe Calzaghe, Jake Paul, and even Tyson Fury's father, John.
As things stand, Joshua's next move remains uncertain. Will he take Froch's advice and retire, or will he step back into the ring for another shot at glory? Only time will tell.
