Carl Froch and Anthony Joshua have had a contentious relationship, often exchanging barbs in the media over the years. Recently, Froch has been particularly vocal, criticizing Joshua in the lead-up to and following his heavyweight title fight against Daniel Dubois. Froch has claimed that the winner of that bout would be a “paper champion,” pointing out that Oleksandr Usyk remains the true IBF title holder despite having to vacate his title for a rematch with Tyson Fury later this year.

Froch has also expressed his disapproval of Joshua’s decision to part ways with Rob McCracken, the trainer who helped guide him to multiple titles, suggesting that the change might not have been in Joshua’s best interest.

Following Joshua’s shocking fifth-round knockout defeat to Dubois, Froch felt compelled to reach out and check on him, setting aside their previous animosity. He shared in a recent video on his YouTube channel that he had a brief conversation with Joshua, who assured him that he was “absolutely fine” and in “10/10 health.” Froch emphasized that the words Joshua used—“this sport can be unforgiving”—stuck with him, indicating the gravity of the situation.

Despite expressing concern for Joshua’s well-being, Froch is not supportive of an immediate rematch. He believes that taking such a step could jeopardize Joshua’s career. “An immediate rematch for me is the end of Anthony Joshua’s career and I don’t think that should be happening. He’s in a really tight spot, a really sticky situation,” Froch said.

Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, has suggested that Joshua may consider waiting for the outcome of the highly anticipated Fury vs. Usyk fight in December before making any decisions about his next steps. The boxing community remains eager to see how Joshua will navigate this challenging phase in his career.