Hall-of-Fame promoter Frank Warren reckons he can topple Anthony Joshua – but ‘Dynamite’ Daniel Dubois may not even be No 1 in his own house!
Warren has told The Daily Telegraph that within a year, Dubois will be ready to challenge – and beat – Joshua.
Dubois reportedly dropped him during a spar in Sheffield and the 20 year-old said: “I want to achieve what he has – and go further.”
During his brief pro career, Dubois has flattened all five opponents, capturing the WBC Youth and Southern Area championships.
That’s led Warren to say Dubois is the best heavyweight prospect in the world – but in his own house, he may be further down the pecking order.
Dubois says he’s inspired by his fighting siblings, Caroline and Prince.
Caroline this summer collected her second European amateur gold medal and at 13, Prince has already reached his first national amateur final.
“We all live in the same house,” said Dubois, “and we push each other on.
“We all have our own style – I’m a textbook boxer, Caroline is skilful and Prince is still growing – but we are all strong and we all train very hard.
“I could be the best in my house, but I would rather not say!”
Dubois started boxing young – he was around six years old when father David took him to the gym, had his first skills bout at nine – and Great Britain coaches hoped he would push No 1 super-heavyweight Frazer Clarke hard in the countdown to the Tokyo Olympics.
Dubois turned pro with Frank Warren instead and BT Sport viewers have seen the Londoner compile what Warren has described as a Mike Tysonesque highlight reel of knockouts.
There were the left hooks to the body that knocked all the fight out of Marcus Kelly and Mauricio Barragan, the 20-punch salvo that blasted out Blaise Mendouo and the right-hand thunderbolts that chopped down giant David Howe and put AJ Carter to sleep.
Carter was down for around 10 minutes after Dubois connected.
That 48-second wipe out at the Copper Box Arena added the Southern Area title to the WBC Youth belt he had previously won and coach Martin Bowers describes Dorian Darch as “the next level of opponent.”
Dubois meets Darch at the Copper Box Arena next Saturday, on a show topped by James DeGale and Lee Selby defending their world titles.
Darch had a good result last time out, a six-round draw with unbeaten DL Jones, and the 33 year-old Welshman is a real have-a-go heavyweight who’s settled into his role as tough opponent after starting out as a prospect.
“He is a roughhouse,” is how Bowers describes Darch. “We know he is tough and proud.
“This is no gimme.
“He will come and have a go – and we’re ready.
“Daniel has had hard rounds in the gym, he’s been hit, he’s had people putting it on him.”
The fight, scheduled optimistically for 10 rounds, gives the opportunity to compare Joshua and Dubois.
Joshua stopped Darch inside a couple of rounds in his fourth pro fight.
“He had a go against Joshua, showed him up a couple of times and ended the fight on his feet,” was how Bowers remembers the fight at Cardiff’s Motorpoint Arena in February, 2014.
Dubois will be fancied to do a similar job and Boxing Social will grab Darch for a chat sometime after next weekend’s fight to see how Dubois and Joshua compare.
Similarities include a mighty punch, tremendous work ethic and both appear grounded.
Joshua has always followed the ‘Stay Hungry’ blueprint stitched on his gown and for all the promise Dubois is showing, he and his team refuse to look too far ahead.
Asked whether he hopes Darch will give Dubois a few rounds – he has only been in the ring for 10 minutes, 32 seconds so far in his whirlwind pro career – Bowers said: “Look, I just hope Daniel wins.
“That’s all we want. Daniel has put the work in in the gym and we’re hoping for a good performance – and another win.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7p0qMHVbsY
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