DANIEL DUBOIS aims to embarrass Anthony Joshua when he faces the former unified heavyweight champion on September 21 at Wembley Stadium.
The two British heavyweights top a Riyadh Season card featuring two world title fights. One sees Anthony Cacace defending his IBF super-featherweight title for the first time against Josh Warrington. The other is a maiden defence for Dubois who puts his recently acquired IBF heavyweight title up against the man who won it against Dominic Breazeale eight years ago.
Dubois is a man in form having beat Jarrell Miller and Filip Hrgovic in consecutive fights. Victory over the latter gave ‘Dynamite’ Dan the IBF Interim belt but he was eventually elevated to full champion status when undisputed champion Oleksandr Usyk vacated the strap.
Meanwhile, Joshua has beaten Otto Wallin and boxing novice Francis Ngannou in his last two bouts.
“His last few fights haven’t been the same level of guys like Miller, that tough guy ‘Big Baby’ Miller and Hrgovic. Looks at his two opponents and look at mine. Let’s get it on now, let’s fight,” Dubois told Queensberry.
Joshua remains a significant step up for the 26-year-old Dubois who has also mixed it with Joe Joyce and Usyk, albeit in defeat. Concerns for the younger Brit stem from the heavy right hands he was caught with against Hrgovic. Dubois powered through the turbulence, however, and stopped the big Croat in the eighth round.
Dubois was asked if he can afford to take those type of shots from the seemingly heavier handed Joshua.
“Hrgovic is completely different to AJ,” Dubois answered.
“The way he [Hrgovic] throws his shots, it’s smooth, he’s light and he’s quick and he don’t load up or anything. It took me a while to get the hang of it but once I found a way to deal with it – if you look at the fight properly I was slipping just subtly and doing what I had to do to win and that’s what I’m going to have to do again. Break AJ up, break what’s in front of me down and get the victory by any means necessary.”
Dubois was also asked what will happen on the night at Wembley Stadium on September 14.
“I’m not here to talk foolishness but I want to make a fool out of AJ by knocking him out and put all the doubters and critics to sleep,” he replied.