For me Warren should have from the start not stepped him to proper world level before his 20/25th fight as he has no amateur background. I would now go back and give him another 6 or 7 fights. Three confidence boosters against the likes of Webb, Browne and kash ali before stepping him up to an actual fringe level rather than some of the scrubs on the WBO top 15 like fujimoto and Tetteh. I would get him in 4/5 fights with the likes of Takam, Helenius, Kabayel Chisora and then a fight vs Hughie Fury to see how he deals again with a mover. no point rushing him again just because you need to find a PPV fighter for the platform.
Not even the damage to the eye which is only worry from now on in: Mentally, he was exposed in there last night and crumbled when Joyce didn’t fold like previous puddings. The trainer knew it and Frampton and Haye knew it. After a comeback fight to blow some cobwebs off they need to double down and get him in there with a live opponent again.
No one knows what the damage is until it is x rayed. However there were two reasons why he quit. 1. He emptied the gas tank going for the KO and had nothing left. He knew it was a hopeless situation as he had no plan B. 2. The eye was completely shut and hurting him badly. The first reason for quitting is the most concerning.
I think Kownacki, Ortiz and Wilder are all far too dangerous for his first one back. I think he'd likely lose to all of them. I think the Kownacki fight is like the Joyce one in some ways, not always the most impressive looking, but legit power and fought at a vastly higher level. I think he's far too hitable to beat a puncher like Wilder. Ortiz is another guy with solid power and tons of experience.
From his last showing Gorman has gone back significantly and has a lot of rebuilding to do. I don't think he'd take it.
Dunno guys I think that's it for Dubois. It wasn't the eye that did it for him, did you not notice how his trainer had to keep giving him a pep talk between every round? He mentally lost the plot when he realised Joe had taken his best punches and the eye closing only added to his problems. An amazing study of the psychology of fighting though.
He is so used to banging guys out in five, once he realised he couldn't bang him out, he was shitting himself and didn't know what to do really
He needs to fight someone who's a clever and experienced boxer who poses little threat. I wonder whether someone like Helenius or Washington might be a good move. You'd expect Dubois to win fairly easily, but will be an awkward night's work and a good learning fight.
Time is now Dubois best friend. However, is it the best friend of Warren? This, to myself, is the real dilemma. I fear that after 2 or 3 fights, Warren will rush him again. Was desperately talking about a rematch last night. Behave! At 35, Joyce can only look forwards. Embrace the time Frank, embrace it.
Not a chance he would take it. What you could do is build them both back up over the next 18/24 months and build for that rematch.
