Joshua told to avoid fighting Joyce and Dubois 

Joshua was a shell of his former sell as he fought Jermaine Franklin to a scrappy points victory at the O2 last month

Joshua told to avoid fighting Joyce and Dubois 
Anthony Joshua

Former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua has been warned he'd be left a "bloody mess" if he shared the ring with Joe Joyce or Daniel Dubois.

Domestic dust-ups with the pair are very much on the horizon for the Watford warrior as he continues his career rebuild following back-to-back losses to pound-for-pound king Oleksandr Usyk.

Joshua was a shell of his former sell as he fought Jermaine Franklin to a scrappy points victory at the O2 last month.

So much so that Queensbury Promotion's Francis Warren reckons he'll be battered if he shares the ring with Joyce.

Francis - the son of veteran promoter Frank - told iFL TV: "Joe Joyce knocks Anthony Joshua out.'

"I think he stops him in a bloody mess."

Francis foresees the same outcoming happening if AJ ever dukes it out with Dubois.

He continued: "And I think similar with Dubois.

"I think anyone who hunts Anthony down, at the moment, I think they're in for a good night."

Francis reckons AJ should avoid Joyce and Dubois and rematch long-time rival Dillian Whyte.

He said: "I'd fight Dillian in the summer because I think that's a win-win for him."

Joshua, 33, was expected to return to action in July but has since revealed he won't be back in the ring until December at the earliest.

He said on Instagram: "My next fight is scheduled for December. Not ideal but everything is part of a bigger picture."

?Promoter Eddie Hearn, however, insists "nothing is decided" with regards to AJ's next outing.

Hearn revealed earlier this month that he was hopeful the golden boy of British boxing would close out the year with two more fights.

He told Boxing Social: “I would like to see [Joshua] have a little rest then get straight back to Texas with Derrick [James].

"And try and have an end-of-summer fight and then try and fight in December.

"It would be great for his career."