International Courant
Daniel Dubois did not need to dethrone anybody to change into heavyweight champion of the world, so he has one thing to show when he defends his first title in entrance of one of many largest crowds in British boxing historical past.
If he defends his IBF title on Saturday by defeating fellow countryman Anthony Joshua in entrance of 96,000 followers at Wembley Stadium, Dubois might properly change into the subsequent nice boxer.
“I am getting used to the concept that I am a world champion, however I feel I’ve to legitimize it by beating AJ,” Dubois instructed The Related Press in an interview. “That is the way in which I do it and cement my title and my legacy in boxing.”
The 27-year-old Dubois was awarded the title in late June after then-undisputed heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk of Ukraine relinquished it.
He is aware of that almost all boxing followers – particularly British ones – need Joshua to change into a three-time champion to arrange a long-awaited showdown with Tyson Fury.
However the hard-working Dubois, born in South London and boxing for the reason that age of seven, has plans of his personal.
“Make him stop, break him down, unleash hell on him,” Dubois stated of his technique for struggle night time.
The 1.95m tall Dubois, nicknamed “Dynamite”, has needed to overcome many obstacles on his strategy to Wembley.
He hopes the 34-year-old Joshua will retire, however Dubois himself needed to reply questions on retiring after he took a knee and was knocked out within the tenth spherical by Joe Joyce in November 2020, his first skilled loss.
Dubois’ left eye was swollen and closed, with a fractured eye socket and nerve harm.
He bounced again by successful 4 straight fights to earn a title shot at Usyk final summer season. The struggle was held in Poland, the place many Ukrainians have sought refuge because of the warfare between Russia and Ukraine.
With big help from his countrymen, Usyk stopped Dubois within the ninth spherical. Boxing isn’t removed from controversy and this struggle had its share: Dubois had knocked the champion down within the fifth spherical, however the referee dominated it a low blow and gave Usyk a couple of minutes to get well.
Oleksandr Usyk sits on the bottom after receiving a “low blow” from Daniel Dubois throughout their world heavyweight title struggle on the Tarczynski Area in Wroclaw, Poland on August 27, 2023 (Czarek Sokolowski/AP)
‘My time now’
Dubois responded to the loss to Usyk with two knockout victories. Regardless of being comfortably forward of the 333-pound (151kg) Jarrell Miller, Dubois utilized the stress within the remaining spherical and secured the stoppage within the dying seconds of the bout. Dubois bled Filip Hrgovic early, stopping the Croatian within the eighth spherical.
The spectacular win over Hrgovic in early June gave Dubois the “interim” title, weeks earlier than Usyk relinquished the belt. It additionally implies that 20 of his 21 wins have come by knockout. The one time he went to factors was six years in the past in his eighth skilled struggle.
In 2017, it was the then 27-year-old Joshua who spectacularly knocked out Wladimir Klitschko in a title struggle at Wembley in entrance of 90,000 followers.
Dubois says it is his flip.
“That is my time now and I am able to seize it with each fingers and present the world what I am about,” he stated, pointing to a rematch with Usyk as his subsequent purpose, though the Ukrainian has spoken a few return to cruiserweight after his December 21 rematch with Tyson Fury.
He additionally needs to make his household proud. His father, Dave Dubois, raised 11 youngsters in a family the place sports activities and music had been the order of the day. Dubois says he doesn’t play devices or sing, although. His youthful sister, Caroline Dubois, can also be a profitable skilled boxer.
Formally, it’s the primary time they’ve confronted one another, however Dubois and Joshua had a much-publicized sparring session a few decade in the past. Evidently Dubois obtained Joshua – who gained gold for Nice Britain on the London Olympics two years earlier – with punch, however past that it’s simply hearsay. Promoter Frank Warren has stated that sparring session was what prompted him to signal Dubois.
“Sparring is sparring, this can be a struggle. It’s not related in the present day,” Dubois stated. “It was good for me on the time, however I’m a brand new man now, a brand new fighter. I’ve put that behind me. I’m the person of the long run.”
He suspects that a lot of the crowd will aspect with AJ.
“They’ll most likely overlook me,” he stated. “It’s as much as me to show them flawed.”
Joshua vs Dubois: Heavyweight champion Dubois relishes probability at boxing stardom | Boxing
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