Carl Froch has questioned why former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua continues to fight after three defeats in the last three years.
“The Cobra,” who also took credit for launching Joshua’s Wembley sellouts due to his victory over George Groves in 2014, believes the Londoner is damaged goods.
Froch asked whether a lack of motivation has crept into AJ’s career, as it did after his win over Groves at the National Stadium.
Carl Froch questions why Anthony Joshua doesn’t retire
“When you’ve made it, and you’re world champion, you’re pretty much financially secure. You start to almost question being a boxer,” Froch told William Hill’s Stripped.
“I think that’s Anthony Joshua’s problem now. He got beat up by Andy Ruiz Jr. That’s mentally scarred him.
“Now he knows he can get hurt. He knows he can get stopped. But also, AJ’s got to be worth £100 million, minimum.
“If you’ve got what you want out of life and achieved it, why are you going to go back into the ring and get your head punched in?
“Why would you? It’s a dangerous sport.”
Anthony Joshua risk
The former Showtime Super Series finalist added: “You have to weigh up whether the risk is worth the reward.
“What am I fighting for? Some more money I don’t need and will never spend?
“What’s the risk? It could be goodbye. I think when you get to a certain level in boxing. You’ve made your money, and your legacy is secure.
“Like when I boxed at Wembley and chinned Groves, I had nothing else left to do.
“You’re at the top of that mountain. All you can do is go down over the other side.”
Waste of time
Joshua was recently linked to fighting Tyson Fury but failed to accept the terms offered by “The Gypsy King.” Promoter Eddie Hearn has since provided several accuses as to why the ex-two-time heavyweight titleholder didn’t take the offer.
One is the date, which Hearn said wasn’t what his fighter wanted despite initially agreeing to a 60-40 deal.
Since then, Joshua has been linked to fights with Chris Arreola and Dillian Whyte, which would be a waste of time at this stage of his career.
Froch could be onto something with the Anthony Joshua retirement calls. Maybe his compatriot and former Sky Sports stablemate will take his advice.
Unless Fury or Deontay Wilder come to the table, nothing else really matters for Joshua and his future legacy.
The only thing it will serve is to earn more money.
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