Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois are set to go toe-to-toe with one another in an all-British battle for the heavyweight world title. However, this will not be the first time that ‘AJ’ has shared the ring with the newly-crowned champion and a spar of old has been mentioned continuously during the build-up. Now, a man who witnessed that training session first-hand has spoken out and revealed further details of what went down.
Joshua could become boxing’s fifth three-time ruler of the heavyweight division if he is successful in his title bid against his compatriot but even if ‘AJ’ casted his memory back to the year that he first claimed world honours, Dubois was still a name on his radar.
Whilst training under Rob McCracken, London 2012 gold medallist Joshua would regularly spar members of Team GB, including both Daniel Dubois and Frazer Clarke but those sessions with the amateurs were not completely one-sided, according to Anthony Fowler, a Team GB middleweight at the time.
In an interview with talkSPORT, Fowler recalled the fabled 2016 spar where Joshua was buzzed by an 18-year-old Dubois.
“They were just sparring normally. Dubois was really young, so he wasn’t really trying to win the rounds. I wouldn’t say he was in survival mode, but he wouldn’t take many risks.
“He was very cagey sparring Joshua. Obviously, Joshua was the main man on the team, so he was always quite wary, but he always punched really hard.
“Joshua must have been a little clumsy sparring him and he got caught with a short left-hook and Joshua’s legs completely went. Dubois could have hit him again and put him to sleep but Dubois had a bit too much respect for him to finish him off.
“Obviously, everyone was stood there like ‘Wow’ and Joshua went and jogged around the ring because his legs were like jelly, and he was trying to get his legs back. Everyone was going ‘Wait, wait, wait’. Joshua wanted to carry on but Rob McCracken was like ‘Have a little break, get your legs back to normal, and then spar’ and then they continued sparring.
“He didn’t knock him out, he didn’t hit the floor but he was really, really hurt. Dubois probably could have hit him again and knocked him out, but he chose not to out of respect.”
Anthony Joshua would go on to become the IBF world champion with a stoppage win over Charles Martin, whilst Dubois would turn professional the following year.
These days, the roles are reversed and it is a rejuvenated ‘AJ’ challenging for Dubois’ IBF title, albeit as a sizeable favourite with the bookmakers. Still, Fowler went on to add his belief that Dubois is well capable of springing the upset.
“Joshua used to get the better of most of the sparring but Dubois nearly knocked him out with 18oz gloves and headguards so if he catches him with those 10oz gloves Joshua will be going to sleep.”
Joshua-Dubois will take place at Wembley Stadium, London next Saturday, topping a bill that features a plethora of high-quality domestic talent.
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