Newly-crowned IBF heavyweight world champion Daniel Dubois is hoping to become a household name as he gears up to take on two-time champion and British boxing poster boy Anthony Joshua next month. Now, one of his sparring partners has explained why Dubois could have enough to pull off the upset and make a first successful defence of the belt.
Dubois bounced back from defeat to Oleksandr Usyk with consecutive knockout wins over Jarrell Miller and Filip Hrgovic – the last of which saw him become the IBF interim title-holder. Shortly afterwards, that trinket was upgraded to the full world title, after Usyk made the decision to vacate his IBF strap.
Yet, despite being the heavyweight world champion, there is a sense that Dubois still needs to prove that he is worthy of the mantle and he has got the perfect opportunity to do so, with an extremely difficult first defence lined up against ‘AJ’.
In an interview with Seconds Out, rising heavyweight contender and sparring partner of Dubois, Johnny Fisher, outlined the severity of ‘Triple D’s’ punch power, admitting that it felt like an ‘electric shock’ when he was tagged by the 27-year-old knockout artist.
“[I am] definitely [favouring] Anthony Joshua but not by the margin that people expect. I reckon it is like a 55/60 to a 40/45 split in favour of Anthony Joshua. Dubois can seriously whack, I have sparred him loads, his right-hand’s can shake to your absolute core. I remember when I got hit by one, it was like an electric shock going through my body.
“The jab of Dubois as well, it’s like a right-hand. Although I can’t speak about sparring Anthony Joshua, I know that Dubois ain’t no joke and coming off of great wins over Jarrell Miller and Filip Hrgovic, who had been the bogeyman for the last two/three years, to deal with him [is impressive].”
Dubois’ power is demonstrated best by his eye-catching record of 20 stoppages in 21 wins, but Fisher went on to detail that it is not solely the power of the champion that Joshua should be concerned about.
“Dubois’ distance control is very good, three or four inches, in and out. That’s how he counters you with that right-hand. If you lunge in a little bit too much, which I don’t think that Anthony Joshua will do, but with me I have done that a few times and he will tag you – he will get you. You have got to be vigilant; you have got to be on your mark.
“I don’t think that it is a case of who lands first [wins]. Dubois has never been iced out, has he. He has been dropped by accumulation rather than by big thunderous punches. We have got to give a little bit more credit to Dubois for his chin and his tenacity.”
Joshua-Dubois takes place on September 21st at Wembley Stadium in London, topping a bill that features a host of top-quality domestic talent.
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