In a tense interview that quickly turned uncomfortable, former two-time heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua refused to share his thoughts on the upcoming undisputed heavyweight championship fight between Oleksandr Usyk and Daniel Dubois.
The awkward moment came during a conversation with iFL TV’s Kugan Cassius, who asked Joshua for his prediction on the July 19 rematch at Wembley Stadium, where Dubois will attempt to avenge his defeat to Usyk.
“I’ve got a few thoughts on it but I feel like I don’t want to talk on it too much because it’s not my fight, it’s their fight. I don’t want to promote their fight. I don’t want to talk about it,” Joshua stated firmly. “I’ll be honest with you, I don’t want to talk about it.”
When pressed further by Cassius, Joshua’s frustration became evident. “Why you asking me for? Turn the camera off and ask me about it,” he responded sharply. “You’re asking me about it in front of the bright lights and put it out in front of the media to promote your channel and their fight. I’m not doing it.”
The interviewer attempted to ease the tension by mentioning that the bout will air on DAZN, the same platform Joshua fights on, but the 35-year-old boxer remained steadfast in his refusal to elaborate.
“It’s not my interest,” Joshua added, before briefly conceding, “But it will be a good fight and good luck to both of them.”
Joshua’s reluctance to discuss the fight likely stems from his history with both competitors. He lost consecutive bouts to Usyk in 2021 and 2022, and suffered a devastating fifth-round knockout defeat to Dubois at Wembley Stadium last September.
While Joshua avoided discussing the Usyk-Dubois matchup, he was more forthcoming about his own future when speaking with Mail Sport during Canelo Alvarez’s recent fight in Saudi Arabia. The British heavyweight hinted at a potential showdown with Tyson Fury later this year, though he also revealed in a separate interview that he is scheduled for elbow surgery this month, which will delay his return to the ring.
Having been inactive since his loss to Dubois eight months ago, Joshua’s comeback now appears unlikely until the latter part of 2025, as he continues to recover and reassess his position in the heavyweight division.
