Anthony Joshua revealed Friday that he predicted in 2018 he would eventually need extended time away from professional boxing, a premonition that materialized following his Round 5 knockout loss to Daniel Dubois in September 2024. The former two-time heavyweight champion, returning to competition after over one year away, emphasized that the Dubois defeat accelerated a mental and physical reset he had anticipated would become necessary during his career’s progression.
Joshua (28-4, 25 KOs) had originally planned to return on the David Benavidez versus Anthony Yarde card in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Nov. 27 before the Jake Paul opportunity emerged. That change in competition trajectory positioned Joshua’s comeback against the YouTube-turned-boxer rather than traditional heavyweight competition, representing unconventional career path for a champion-caliber heavyweight.
“When you lose, you tend to take a deeper look at yourself and take time to figure out what went wrong,” Joshua explained on his YouTube channel. “I had to look at the reasons why I lost. And I said to myself: ‘I think I need a bit of time.’ I predicted this moment in 2018. Not the loss, but the work I was taking on was a lot. I was moving at 100 miles-per-hour. Inside training, preparing for fights, working outside of boxing.”
That perspective reflected mature self-awareness regarding the physical and mental demands of championship-level boxing at age 35. Rather than immediately pursuing revenge against Dubois or aggressively seeking redemptive victory, Joshua acknowledged that systematic reset and comprehensive recovery would better serve his long-term championship aspirations.
When extended absence enables comprehensive personal transformation
Joshua’s year away from professional boxing coincided with significant personal and professional changes. The heavyweight underwent elbow surgery earlier in 2025 and deliberately restructured his life circumstances away from competitive boxing demands.
“For any man or any woman, at some stage they probably need a bit of a reset. So it come to that stage really in 2025 where I thought: ‘You know what, I probably need a year out the game,'” Joshua said, acknowledging that the break served purposes extending beyond mere injury recovery.
At last month’s pre-fight news conference, Joshua indicated he had taken time to “change a lot of things in my life” a characterization suggesting the reset involved lifestyle, relationship, or philosophical modifications that transcended technical boxing adjustments. That comprehensive approach to recovery distinguished his rehabilitation from typical injury management protocols.
When championship-level coaching provides renewed development trajectory
One of Joshua’s most significant changes involved relocating to Oleksandr Usyk’s training base in Valencia, Spain a decision that positioned him within the same coaching environment that had guided Usyk toward undisputed heavyweight championship. That organizational choice reflected Joshua’s recognition that elite-level coaching and development infrastructure could facilitate his competitive redemption.
Usyk’s strength and conditioning coach Jakub Chycki has been instrumental in Joshua’s preparation, complemented by boxing coach Iegor Golub, who has been instrumental in orchestrating Usyk’s extraordinary rise toward undisputed heavyweight supremacy. That coaching assembly represented championship-level expertise that could theoretically transform Joshua’s competitive approach and technical execution.
“I need to be that guy that ain’t accessible for a bit. After 12 months, interestingly I found myself back in training in Valencia, with the team that trained Vasiliy Lomachenko and the team that trains Oleksandr Usyk. If you want to win, surround yourself with winners, and they’re winners,” Joshua said, emphasizing that elite coaching represented the foundation for competitive restoration.
The Jake Paul matchup context
Joshua’s choice to fight Paul (12-1, 7 KOs) represents unconventional comeback selection for a former two-time heavyweight champion with championship aspirations. Paul has established himself as a boxer-turned-entertainer with legitimate professional record, yet traditional heavyweight hierarchy would typically position Joshua toward more established competition.
That matchup selection reflected practical career circumstances where Joshua required meaningful comeback victory to reestablish credibility after the Dubois knockout. Paul, operating at heavyweight level with expanding boxing credibility, provides both legitimate competition and significant entertainment value that drives financial compensation and audience engagement.
The championship perspective moving forward
Joshua’s approach to his comeback reflects mature championship mentality prioritizing long-term development over immediate revenge or redemptive victory narratives. Rather than desperately pursuing quick knockout victories to restore championship standing, he embraced comprehensive personal and professional transformation during extended break.
His training under Usyk’s coaching staff positions him within the same developmental environment that has proven championship-producing for Ukrainian heavyweight excellence. Whether that coaching foundation can translate into Joshua’s competitive revival against Paul will determine whether the extended break positioned him for championship-level return or represented extended career decline before eventual retirement.
