What next for Joshua after humbling Dubois defeat?

Two-time world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua is astatine a crossroads aft his humbling conclusion astatine nan hands of chap Briton Daniel Dubois astatine Wembley connected Saturday.

The 34-year-old was demolished successful a powerful show by a man 7 years his junior.

It was a 4th profession conclusion for Joshua pursuing losses to Oleksandr Usyk successful 2021 and 2022, and underdog Andy Ruiz Jr successful 2019.

So pinch a long-awaited home blockbuster against Tyson Fury looking further distant than ever, what happens now for 1 of Britain's top ever heavyweight fighters?

Joshua arrived astatine Wembley aft 4 consecutive victories, including an awesome knockout triumph complete Francis Ngannou successful March.

But he was dominated by IBF heavyweight champion Dubois, who has mislaid 2 of his 24 fights.

After being knocked down successful nan first round, Joshua deed nan canvas respective times more, including doubly successful nan third, earlier nan conflict ended successful nan fifth.

"He wasn't conscionable knocked retired - he was outboxed, outthought and outfought and, ultimately, bullied by nan stronger, younger, fitter guy," said erstwhile world champion Barry Jones connected nan 5 Live Boxing podcast.

"He didn't retrieve from nan first knockdown. He did good to get up but he was connected borrowed time."

Jones, a erstwhile featherweight, said no-one would beryllium "shocked" Dubois won but nan bout was a "demolition job".

"Joshua looked truthful tentative," he added. "He made novice mistakes."

Joshua told nan podcast it was a "bad nighttime astatine nan office".

"It conscionable wasn't my night," he said. "I wasn't mounting shots up. In a shootout for illustration that you person to beryllium sniper-esque. But erstwhile you've been deed a fewer times you're successful endurance mode."

Former world heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis said: "One feline showed up, 1 feline didn't. Disappointed."

In nan contiguous aftermath of nan fight, Joshua said he wanted to proceed successful boxing.

Describing himself arsenic a "warrior", he added: "If group want to spot maine fight, I will fight."

Joshua won golden astatine nan 2012 Olympics successful his location metropolis of London, and claimed his first world title 8 years ago.

Saturday's conflict was his 32nd arsenic a master - and afterwards hinted he had a rematch clause.

Fury, watching ringside, joked to a tv camera that Joshua's conclusion had costs him £150m - nan benignant of interest he could person expected if nan 2 were to fight.

In nan meantime, Fury must attraction connected his rematch pinch Usyk successful Saudi Arabia successful December.

Joshua has besides been linked pinch a bout against erstwhile world champion Deontay Wilder - but nan 38-year-old American's past 2 fights were defeats against Joseph Parker and Zhilei Zhang. Wilder's trainer Malik Scott was astatine Wembley connected Saturday night.

While nan Briton ponders his options, Jones is clear connected what he believes his adjacent measurement should be.

Asked if Joshua should "walk away", nan Welshman said: "I deliberation he should. He's a in installments to nan athletics and has reinvented athletics successful Britain successful galore ways. He made stadium fights look nan norm.

"He's sewage each that money, he's still sewage his health, and he'll beryllium a personage until nan time he dies if that's what he wants."

Joshua's long-time promoter Eddie Hearn said: "We've been present before, but nan conclusion by Ruiz was acold much brutal.

"He's OK. He's gutted and benignant of kicking himself astir nan mistakes he made. A batch of group astir him are saying: 'It couldn't person gone immoderate worse and he still could person won.'

"Of people he's successful nan closing chapters of his career, there's nary uncertainty astir that, and if you commencement getting knocked retired for illustration that you surely person to look astatine things.

"We each cognize we've seen nan champion AJ complete nan past twelvemonth truthful it's difficult to opportunity that conscionable because he sewage chinned by Dubois, that's it."

Joshua became nan poster boy of British boxing aft winning Olympic gold.

But contempt a sparkling profession and unforgettable wins including his 11th-round knockout of Wladimir Klitschko successful beforehand of 90,000 fans astatine Wembley successful April 2017, his estimation has been tarnished by consequent defeats.

"He is not nan top heavyweight of each clip and was ne'er going to beryllium because he didn't person nan guidance astir him to warrant that, but he's been a bully heavyweight," Jones added. "His bequest successful nan UK is phenomenal. For a while, he was nan standout heavyweight successful nan section - but not for a agelong while.

"The point pinch boxers is - each nan money is awesome but it's your identity. What do you do if you're not a boxer anymore?"