Daniel Dubois didn’t need to beat anyone to become a world heavyweight champion, so he has something to prove when he defends his title for the first time in front of one of the largest crowds in British boxing history.
If he successfully defends his IBF belt on Saturday by defeating fellow Briton Anthony Joshua in front of 96,000 fans at Wembley Stadium, Dubois could become boxing’s next big star.
“I’m getting used to the idea that I’m the world champion but I think I need to legitimize it by beating AJ,” Dubois told The Associated Press in an interview. “That’s the way I do it and cement my name, cement my legacy in the sport of boxing.”
The 27-year-old Dubois received the belt in late June after Oleksandr Usyk, the previous heavyweight champion, gave it up.
He understands that many boxing fans, especially in Britain, want to see Joshua become a three-time champion to create a much-awaited matchup with Tyson Fury.
But the hard-hitting Dubois, who grew up in south London and has been boxing since he was 7, has his own plans.
“Make him quit, break him down, unleash hell on him,” Dubois said about his strategy for fight night.
Nicknamed “Dynamite,” the 6-foot-5 (1.95-meter) Dubois has faced challenges on his way to Wembley.
He hopes to make the 34-year-old Joshua give up, but Dubois himself had to deal with questions about quitting after he took a knee and was counted out in the 10th round against Joe Joyce in November 2020. That was his first loss as a professional.
Dubois’ left eye was swollen shut due to an orbital bone fracture and nerve damage.
He bounced back by winning four fights in a row, which earned him a title shot against Usyk last summer. This fight took place in Poland, where many Ukrainians have sought safety because of Russia’s invasion of their country.
With strong support from his fellow countrymen, Usyk stopped Dubois in the ninth round. Boxing is often surrounded by controversy, and this fight was no different: Dubois knocked down the champion in the fifth round, but the referee called it a low blow and gave Usyk several minutes to recover.
Since that match, Dubois has bounced back with two knockout wins. He was ahead against 333-pound Jarrell Miller but pressed hard in the final round, getting the stoppage in the last seconds of the fight.
He also bloodied Filip Hrgovic early on and stopped the Croatian in the eighth round.
The impressive victory over Hrgovic in early June earned Dubois the “interim” title just weeks before Usyk gave up the belt. This means that 20 of his 21 wins have come by knockout. The only time he went the distance was six years ago in his eighth professional fight.
Back in 2017, the then 27-year-old Joshua dramatically knocked out Wladimir Klitschko in a title fight at Wembley in front of 90,000 fans. Dubois believes it’s his turn now.
“This is my time now, and I’m ready to take it with both hands, show the world what I’m all about,” he said, mentioning a rematch with Usyk as his next goal, even though Usyk has talked about moving back to cruiserweight after his Dec. 21 rematch with Tyson Fury.
He also wants to make his family proud. His father, Dave Dubois, raised 11 children in a home filled with sports and music. Dubois mentions that he doesn’t play any instruments or sing, but his younger sister, Caroline Dubois, is also a successful professional boxer.
Officially, it’s the first time they will face each other, but Dubois and Joshua had a widely discussed sparring session about ten years ago.
It seems Dubois landed a solid punch on Joshua, who had won gold for Britain at the London Olympics two years earlier, but beyond that, it’s just hearsay. Promoter Frank Warren has said that this sparring session was what led him to sign Dubois.
