ANTHONY JOSHUA isn’t in the right frame of mind going into his domestic dust-up with Daniel Dubois, it’s been claimed.
Joshua will bid to become a three-time heavyweight champion on Saturday night when he challenges Dubois for the IBF heavyweight title at Wembley.
The 34-year-old enters the domestic dust-up in red-hot form following three KOs in his last four fights, the last of which was a sensational stoppage of former UFC champ Francis Ngannou.
But his displays following back-to-back losses to Oleksandr Usyk have done little to convince Carl Froch that he’s ready for a world-class boxer to put it on him again.
During an appearance on Stephen Hendry’s YouTube channel, the former super-middleweight champ said of Dubois: “He’s actually in better form than AJ.
“Because has beat a guy in [Jermaine] Franklin, who is a nobody. And a guy called [Robert] Helenius.”
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When asked if a loss on Saturday night would end Joshua’s career, Froch continued: “I think so.
“And he beat a guy called Otto Wallin and I don’t know if you saw it, but he fought he fought that UFC fighter Francis Ngannou.
“So he’s had these four fights since after getting beat up by Usyk twice and he’s not between tested.
“And I think his head is not in the right space where he’s confident to go in against a genuine world champ.”
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Froch reckons AJ could be there for the taking for Dubois if he doesn’t let the magnitude of the occasion get to him and sticks it on the former two-time champion from the opening bell.
“What’s AJ done since then?” he asked. “He’s fought three or four nobodies who didn’t try.
“Four people have come to get a paycheque. And you can’t even say Ngannou is a good fighter.
“I know Ngannou gave Fury a good fight, but Fury was ill-prepared for that. He must have been.
“AJ got in there and battered Ngannou. Hit him with the first right hand and Ngannou was out on his back. But that gives you a false sense of security.
“I think Dubois gets in with him and puts it on him. If he believes in himself, Dubois, and sticks it on him, you might see AJ in some trouble.”
A loss to Dubois would not only end Joshua’s bid to become a three-time champion, it would likely put the final nail in the coffin of a mega-fight with Tyson Fury.
But Froch reckons defeat to Dubois could be curtains for AJ’s decorated career.
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He said: “This is Dubois moment to shine or his moment to learn the hard way. But he’ll be getting paid well, this is a big occasion.
“But he’s got such a big opportunity. If he beats AJ, I think that’s the end of AJ. This is AJ finished.”
Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
