Anthony Joshua has insisted he has not thought about a possible rematch against Oleksandr Usyk and has welcomed being free from distractions ahead of his world heavyweight title showdown against Daniel Dubois.
Joshua will headline an historic all-British card at Wembley on Saturday when he fights ‘Dynamite’ Dubois for the IBF title in front of a record 96,000 fans.
The fight for the British star is the latest on his road to redemption after two consecutive losses to Usyk, the second in December 2022.
The 34-year-old comes into the fight on the back of recent wins over Robert Helenius, Otto Wallin and Francis Ngannou. Now, Joshua is aiming to add Dubois to that list as he continues to rebuild his career following setbacks at the hands of the Ukrainian star.
Asked about a rematch with Usyk, who he could face if the Ukrainian world champion beats Tyson Fury in their second fight in December, Joshua told Mail Sport: “I’m not really thinking about that at the moment.
Anthony Joshua spoke to Mail Sport’s Charlotte Daly at the Grand Arrivals event on Tuesday
“Daniel Dubois is already a big challenge. I’m not thinking about Usyk, I’m 100% focused on the job at hand. I haven’t had many distractions this time and I can focus solely on Daniel Dubois. It’s been a blessing.”
In an exclusive interview with Mail Sport, Joshua also spoke about what he considers a success and how his life could have been very different.
A win over Dubois on Saturday night will put Joshua in the elite ranks of three-time world heavyweight champions, joining the likes of Lennox Lewis and Muhammad Ali.
A win could also position Joshua for a shot at the undisputed heavyweight crown, setting the stage for a potential blockbuster showdown against the winner of the highly-anticipated Usyk-Tyson Fury rematch in December.
Joshua insisted he has not thought about a possible rematch against Oleksandr Usyk
But how does Joshua actually measure success? Speaking to Mail Sport, he said: “The number one way to measure success is to get through a training camp. That’s tough in itself. To get through it injury-free and healthy because you do a lot of combat training and it’s tough.
“Getting through a training camp is a blessing. Success is sleeping well. It’s something that’s underrated. The truth is that those are two things I think about and those are the two things that I’m happy with when I achieve them.”
The former heavyweight champion was on the wrong side of the law and got into trouble as a young man. His most serious offence came in 2011, when he was arrested for possession of cannabis with intent to distribute.
At the time, Joshua’s boxing career was just beginning to take off. He was part of the Great Britain boxing team and had already shown potential as a top amateur boxer.
Saturday’s match is the latest in his road to redemption after two consecutive losses to Usyk.
But the arrest was a major setback and during this period of turmoil Joshua was placed under the supervision of Ian Duberry, his juvenile offending officer. Duberry played a pivotal role in guiding Joshua through a difficult time.
Duberry worked closely with Joshua to keep him focused and on track, recognizing the talented boxer’s potential beyond his mistakes.
And Joshua will meet Duberry on Saturday night as he is part of Dubois’ team.
“Yeah, having Ian Duberry here definitely makes me think about what life would have been like without boxing,” Joshua said.
Joshua to fight ‘Dynamite’ Daniel Dubois for IBF title in front of record crowd
‘Life still would have been fun, there would have been less pressure on me, but in terms of where boxing has taken me and made me mature, I’m definitely grateful for the sport.
“When I was younger I had other responsibilities, but becoming a boxer has made me a man. Even though life was fun, now I can say I am a man. I was a boy then. Now I am a man. I make manly decisions.”