Trevor Bryan realizes boxing fans are almost universally unsold on him.
He owns the WBA’s secondary heavyweight title, but the 32-year-old Bryan’s best win was an 11th-round stoppage of former WBC champion Bermane Stiverne in January 2021. Stiverne was 42 at that time, hadn’t boxed in almost two years and had been knocked out by Deontay Wilder in the first round and Joe Joyce in the sixth round of his previous two fights.
Bryan believes his mandated match with big British contender Daniel Dubois on Saturday in Miami will provide him with the opportunity to completely change the public’s perception of him. Joyce knocked out Dubois in the 10th round of their November 2020 bout, but the 6-foot-5, 240-pound Dubois is a 24-year-old knockout artist who is just entering his physical prime.
The magnitude of this chance isn’t lost on Bryan (22-0, 15 KOs), who has boxed just twice since August 2018.
“I’m looking to show all the boxing fans across the world who Trevor Bryan truly is, the skills that I have and the talent that I have,” Bryan told BoxingScene.com. “I know that people say that Trevor Bryan really hasn’t fought anybody to get to this point, but this is gonna be my breakout fight. UK fans truly believe that Daniel Dubois is the one to knock me off, to take my belt. But I have a gift for Dubois to go back home with, and it’s not my belt. But they will definitely see that at the weigh-in. And, like I said, I’m ready to showcase my talent across the world and show them why I’m the heavyweight champion of the world as well.”
Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Uysk obviously are the heavyweight champions of the world.
Bryan beat BJ Flores by fourth-round technical knockout to win the WBA’s interim championship in August 2018 and was later elevated to world champion. He has defeated Flores, Stiverne and Jonathan Guidry in his three heavyweight title fights.
Nevertheless, Bryan isn’t impressed with what London’s Dubois (17-1, 16 KOs) has shown since he turned pro in April 2017. The Schenectady, New York native claimed Dubois “quit” in his loss to the hulking Joyce (13-0, 12 KOs), whose jarring jab created severe swelling around Dubois’ left eye and made him take a knee in the 10th round, when he declined to continue.
“He’s an inexperienced big guy,” Bryan said. “He’s a heavyweight, yes. He can throw punches and he’s a heavyweight, so it only takes one punch. But it’s gonna take more than that just to get a reigning champ, and this is my second time defending my title this year, to get me out the way. It’s gonna take more than a heavy shot, man.
“I know how to box off my back foot. I know how to sit there and slug. I know how to stay off my jab and throw my combinations off my jab. He’s gonna have to do more than just throw his big punches to get me out of there. That’s why I’m gonna show why I’m a true heavyweight champion.”
The Bryan-Dubois bout will headline a pay-per-view show that’ll be streamed live by www.donking.com and www.itube247.com from Casino Miami. The event is scheduled to start at 4 p.m. ET in the United States and costs $29.99.
BT Sport 1’s coverage of the Bryan-Dubois card is set to begin at 7 p.m. BST in the United Kingdom and Ireland.
Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for BoxingScene.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.