Carl Froch believes Anthony Joshua is not deserving of a rematch with IBF heavyweight world champion, Daniel Dubois.
Froch has already advised Joshua to swerve a second bout with Dubois, after suffering a brutal fifth round knockout in his bid to become a three-time heavyweight world champion at Wembley Stadium last month.
‘AJ’ was pictured alongside his promoter Eddie Hearn and Saudi Arabia boxing chief, Turki Alalshikh and according to Hearn the Dubois rematch is the preferred choice for Alalshikh, whose Riyadh Season brand bankrolled the first fight.
However, former super middleweight world champion, Froch believes the likes of in-form heavyweights, Joseph Parker and Zhilei Zhang are more worthy contenders for a shot at the 27-year-old.
“Does AJ deserve to be jumping straight back in there with an immediate rematch?” the 47-year-old said on his YouTube channel Froch On Fighting.
“Dubois is going to fancy it, but does AJ deserve it?
“I think there’s other people in line that actually deserve a fight for the IBF world title.
“Joseph Parker, Zhilei Zhang, just to name a couple of them.
“There’s a couple of heavyweights hanging around as well that deserve it.”
The Champ will return soon 🔥❤️🥊 pic.twitter.com/EsZwEXHqQZ
— TURKI ALALSHIKH (@Turki_alalshikh) September 25, 2024
Joshua suffered the fourth loss of his professional career and his first stoppage defeat since June 2019, when Andy Ruiz Jr halted him in seven dramatic rounds in New York.
The 34-year-old vowed to continue after the bout, although having won the heavyweight crown on two occasions and earned millions of dollars, ‘The Cobra’ has questioned whether his desire is what it once was.
“It’s alright Eddie Hearn saying ‘we want the immediate rematch.’
“I feel it’s a little bit like the lamb to the slaughter. I don’t know why you would do that to Anthony Joshua at this stage of his career.
“But now Anthony Joshua’s got those silk pyjamas, how much does he want it?
“How much does he really want to jump in to an immediate rematch with someone who has just absolutely flattened him?
“He wasn’t in the fight.
“This immediate rematch for me for Anthony Joshua is such a bad idea, but he can’t really sit back and fight.”
