STWF Sports | Dec. 16, 2025 – Anthony Joshua has never been shy about confronting hard truths, but his latest period of introspection may be the most consequential chapter of his career. The former unified heavyweight champion revealed he underwent a deep personal reset following his devastating loss to Daniel Dubois in September 2024 — a night that left fans and analysts questioning whether his time at the top had finally run its course.
Dubois didn’t just beat Joshua; he overwhelmed him. The young contender dropped Joshua four times before stopping him in the fifth round, delivering one of the most emphatic victories of his career. Joshua, known for his resilience, rose repeatedly, fighting on instinct and pride. Yet the result felt symbolic — not just a defeat, but the closing of a long and grueling era for the Watford native.
The physical toll was obvious, but the emotional weight was equally heavy. The loss triggered a 15-month hiatus from the ring, a stretch Joshua says he desperately needed. He used the time to undergo shoulder surgery, rehabilitate lingering injuries, and—perhaps most importantly—reevaluate his life, workload, and relationship with the sport.
Speaking candidly on his YouTube channel, Joshua explained how the Dubois fight became the catalyst for honest self-reflection.
“I always say this: For every time you win, there is a reason, for every time you lose, there is a reason,” Joshua said. “When you lose, you tend to take a deeper look at yourself. Take time to figure out what went wrong.”
Joshua admitted he knew long before the Dubois loss that the pace he was keeping—inside the gym, inside the ring, and outside the sport—was unsustainable. “I predicted this moment in… 2018?” he reflected. “Not the loss, but the work I was taking on was a lot. Inside training, preparing for fights, working outside of boxing — for any man or any woman, at some stage, they probably need a bit of a reset.”
That reset finally arrived in 2025. “I thought, ‘You know what, I think I need a year out of the game.’” The decision was not easy, but Joshua insists it was necessary for his mental, emotional, and physical health.
Now, after 15 months of repair and recalibration, Joshua steps back into the spotlight on Friday night to face YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul in a professional heavyweight bout. While the matchup has sparked debate across the boxing community, the consensus is clear: Joshua is expected to handle business swiftly, with most observers predicting a knockout inside two rounds.
For Joshua, the Paul bout functions as both a tune-up and a statement. His team believes a decisive performance will signal to the heavyweight division — and to himself — that he is ready to re-enter the elite conversation. And if all goes to plan, the comeback trail will not be a slow one.
Promoter Eddie Hearn has already mapped out the next steps, revealing Joshua is expected to return again in February before targeting the fight that has eluded British boxing fans for nearly a decade: a blockbuster showdown with Tyson Fury. According to Hearn, Joshua has agreed to his side of the deal. All that remains is the long-awaited signature from Fury.
“Providing everything goes to plan, he’ll make a quick turnaround in February before diving into the big one in the summer,” Hearn said. “AJ has accepted his side of the agreement. Now we wait on Fury.”
Joshua’s career has always been defined by how he responds to adversity — from the Andy Ruiz collapse to the Oleksandr Usyk masterclass to the Dubois demolition. Through it all, he has shown a willingness to rebuild, to adjust, and to confront the harsh realities of heavyweight boxing.
Friday night marks the start of another rebuild. And if Joshua’s reflection is any indication, it may also mark the beginning of his most meaningful resurgence yet.
