Eddie Hearn: Anthony Joshua should focus on Daniel Dubois, not Oleksandr Usyk

Anthony Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, has advised the Nigerian-born boxer to concentrate on his upcoming fight against Daniel Dubois on September 21 rather than looking ahead to a potential third bout with Oleksandr Usyk.

The highly anticipated match will take place at Wembley Stadium in front of over 100,000 fans, as Joshua aims to reclaim the IBF heavyweight title.

Hearn emphasized that Joshua’s immediate focus should be on defeating Dubois, as this victory would move him closer to his ultimate goal of becoming a three-time heavyweight world champion. While there is speculation about a third fight with Usyk, Hearn insists that Joshua must first overcome the challenge posed by Dubois.

“Anthony needs to stay focused on Dubois. He can’t afford to be distracted by Usyk right now,” Hearn said. “His primary goal is to win the IBF title and establish himself as one of the few heavyweight champions to win three titles.”

Joshua was previously defeated by Usyk in 2021 and again in a rematch the following year. However, under new coach Ben Davison, Joshua has made changes to his training camp and is eager to regain his winning form.

“If Joshua wins against Dubois, he could face the winner of the Usyk vs. Tyson Fury fight, but first things first—Daniel Dubois is the priority,” Hearn added. Usyk and Fury are scheduled to face each other in Riyadh on December 21.

A potential third bout against Usyk or a showdown with Fury could be in Joshua’s future, but for now, his focus remains on Daniel Dubois.