By Charles Brun: Top Rank promoter Bob Arum is predicting that Anthony Joshua will retire in 2020 after he faces his IBF mandatory challenger Kubrat Pulev, who is training hard for the title shot.
If Arum’s big prediction comes true about Joshua retiring, Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn will be crying crocodile tears. Joshua is the flagship fighter for Hearn’s stable, and with him gone, there would be a huge void left behind.
Tyson Fury’s promoter Frank Warren thinks that Joshua (23-1, 22 KOs) should vacate his IBF and WBO titles, and focus on fighting the winner of the Deontay Wilder vs. Fury fight.
Joshua should vacate his titles says Warren
“If I was Anthony Joshua, I wouldn’t fight again until I know the winner of [Wilder-Fury], and then make that fight,” said Warren via express.co.uk. “I’d let them strip me of my titles, and not fight anybody until the big on, because that’s what the public wants.
“They want to know who the No.1 is. The No.3 and No.4 fought in Saudi Arabia,” said Warren of Andy Ruiz Jr. and Joshua. “The #1 and #2 are fighting on February 22.”
Warren wants to see Joshua fight for the #1 spot in the heavyweight division, and he sees it as pointless for him to defend against a mandatory. He thinks Joshua should just vacate his titles, and focus on what’s important in facing Joshua or Wilder.
Joshua has a hangup about wanting to unify the heavyweight division, since he believes that unifying the division will complete him as a fighter. He somehow thinks that the boxing world will give mad respect if he becomes the undisputed heavyweight champion.
That probably won’t be the case until Joshua beats all the top heavyweights, and that could take years. With Joshua’s fragile chin, he’ll likely lose occasionally, and get stuck needing to fight rematches.
It would be very smart for Joshua to forget the titles, and focus on fighting the best opponents. Obviously, Joshua’s IBF mandatory Pulev (28-1, 14 KOs) isn’t in the same class as Wilder and Fury. You can argue the same applies for Joshua’s WBO mandatory Oleksandr Usyk, who looked beatable in his heavyweight debut last October against Chazz Witherspoon.
Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn doesn’t believe that he’ll be retiring anytime soon, as he thinks he’ll continue fighting regardless. It would be a bad dream if Joshua was beaten by the
Arum predicts Joshua retires in 2020
“I’m going to make a big prediction here,” said Arum to espress.co.uk. “Next year there will be no more Joshua. Everybody is overlooking the Bulgarian [Pulev] who has been training his a– off in the gym.”
It would be a big shocker if Joshua retires after losing to Pulev, but it’s believable. Joshua would have a hard time digesting a loss to Pulev, especially if it’s a bad knockout loss.