British boxing icon ‘Prince’ Naseem Hamed has confidently predicted that 22-year-old Daniel Dubois will “take over heavyweight boxing” and believes bantamweight starlet Dennis McCann is also destined for world honours.
Speaking on the latest instalment of Frank Warren’s Heavyweight Podcast, the Sheffield man expressed his admiration of Warren’s eye for talent and discussed the qualities that he believes make Dubois a future superstar.
“Frank knows how to pick the best fighters and at the moment I think he’s got one in Daniel Dubois who I really think is going to light up the world,” said Hamed.
No stranger to a knockout himself, Naz added: “[Dubois] has that crushing power. I love the way he fights… the way he punches to the body, too.”
Hamed’s praise follows other big-hitters like George Foreman, David Haye, Frank Bruno and Larry Holmes, who have recently spoken of the unbeaten contender’s rich potential.
When boxing resumes, ‘Dynamite’ is scheduled to face rival Joe Joyce in a captivating all-British battle that many view as a potential gateway to world title contention.
Promoter Warren clearly agrees and earlier this week declared Dubois to be the “best heavyweight prospect on Planet Earth”, confidently backing his young star to defeat recently deposed WBC champion Deontay Wilder.
Prince Naseem wasn’t drawn on that particular match-up, but did issue an ominous warning to the heavyweight division as a whole.
“I am looking forward to watching Daniel Dubois’ career unfold. For me, I believe he takes over heavyweight boxing.”
Hamed also revealed that he is keeping an eye on another of Britain’s brightest prospects – 19-year-old bantamweight hope Dennis ‘The Menace’ McCann.
“I like Dennis. Dennis is a good fighter, definitely. I’m expecting him to be a world champion,” he said.
“For me, that’s one of the guarantees of boxing; Dennis and Daniel Dubois being world champions.”