Promoter Frank Warren believes his young heavyweight Daniel Dubois 21-2 (20) has improved in recent years and will be too young, too fresh and too strong for Anthony Joshua 28-3 (25) when they clash at Wembley Arena in London, England on September 21.
Dubois, 26, is coming off the biggest win of his career when he stopped previously undefeated Croatian Filip Hrgovic 17-1 (14) in eight frames for the interim IBF title in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on June 1.
Earlier this week, undisputed heavyweight champ Oleksandr Usyk 22-0 (14) relinquished his IBF belt, with the New Jersey-based sanctioning body elevating Dubois to full champion status.
He will face a stern test in his first defence against former two-time unified champion Joshua, 34, who has boxed many of the biggest names in boxing since winning the same title eight years ago.
Dubois has faced criticism for his two losses – first to fellow Brit Joe Joyce 16-2 (15) in November 2020, then to Ukrainian southpaw Usyk last August – for quitting in those bouts.
But Dubois’ promoter Warren says his boxers has rebuilt himself mentally and physically, adding that he expects age to also play a factor in the Joshua fight.
“I think he’s a bigger puncher than AJ, I really do,” the Queensberry Promotions boss said on talkSPORT Breakfast on Friday. “He’s the younger guy [at age 26], AJ’s 34.
“Most heavyweights don’t reach their primes until they’re in their 30s, but this young man’s really done well.
“And he’s learned the hard way – he’s had a couple of setbacks in his career and showed a lot of grit when he took what I thought was a lot of really terrible criticism from some people in the business.
“Especially when he had such a horrific injury in a fight [Joyce shattered Dubos’ orbital bone in their fight].
“And he’s come back and certainly in his last two fights he’s had to show what he’s all about.
“He’s had to grit his teeth and showed a lot of heart and determination to come through against two undefeated fighters and stopped both of them.”
The fight is being funded by Turki Alalshikh, chairman of the General Entertainment Authority of Saudi Arabia.
“It will be a packed house,” Warren explained. “It is part of the Riyadh Season though, that’s the reason this massive show’s happening, it’s because of the Riyadh Season.
“This is the Wembley edition of the Riyadh Season, it’s there to promote what happens in Riyadh and thankfully boxing’s benefiting from that.
“This is a marvellous card headed up by the most fantastic fight. These guys are both big punchers and they’ve both got great jabs.
“My man Daniel is really finding himself, he’s matured not just physically, but mentally now.”
The Dubois versus Joshua card will be co-promoted by Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing alongside Warren’s Queensberry Promotions.
