2 hours ago
Daniel Dubois has vowed to resistance Anthony Joshua into nan trenches astatine Wembley connected Saturday successful nan belief he has timed his showdown pinch his British rival to perfection.
Two days aft Joshua declared he is 'willing to die' successful nan ringing successful his pursuit of becoming a three-time world heavyweight champion, IBF king Dubois insists his much knowledgeable force is susceptible nether fire.
It is simply a belief based connected nan cautious style adopted by Joshua since his seismic upset by Andy Ruiz successful 2019 erstwhile he was knocked down 4 times and, while he avenged that loss, he was subsequently beaten doubly by Oleksandr Usyk.
Only successful his past 2 fights – wins against Otto Wallin and Francis Ngannou overseen by caller trainer Ben Davison – has he started to snarl again but Dubois senses a weakness to beryllium exploited still exists.
Anthony Joshua (left) and Daniel Dubois (right) square-up up of their world title clash
Dubois believes AJ is 'there for nan taking' and that nan conflict has travel astatine nan cleanable time
'I request to return him backmost to that acheronian spot and make him uncomfortable successful there, make him break down successful nan ring. That's what I scheme to do. He's correct for nan taking now,' Dubois said.
'I'm connected nan rise, I've sewage nan momentum connected my side. No much words - conscionable fighting, punches. I'm fresh to conflict and destroy. Destroy.'
Dubois has been forced to heal his ain ring-induced trauma aft taking a knee against Joe Joyce successful 2020, a determination that saw him labelled a quitter moreover though he had sustained a fractured near oculus socket.
For some, further reputational harm was done erstwhile nan 27-year-old Londoner was besides counted retired successful nan ninth information aft being floored pinch a jab by Usyk past year.
But, for illustration Joshua, he has rebuilt pinch hard-fought victories complete Jarrell Miller and Filip Hrgovic earlier securing nan IBF loop erstwhile Usyk vacated successful June successful bid to set-up a rematch pinch Tyson Fury.
'The past 2 fights were my redemption. This is astir planting a emblem – moving guardant arsenic a world champion. I'm conscionable a quiet young lion correct now,' Dubois said.
'I'm location to return nan respect, you know. In boxing there's nary respect and I'm fresh return it, clasp my loop and still beryllium world champion.'
Joshua is simply a dense favourite to declare his 5th triumph successful arsenic galore appearances astatine Wembley, but promoter Frank Warren believes nan British rivals' caller records extremity importantly successful Dubois' favour.
'Daniel's fought overmuch amended value guidance successful his past fewer fights, nary uncertainty astir that,' Queensberry leader Warren said.
'He's been nan underdog successful each 1 of those fights and he's travel done them and done what he's had to do. The man who's sewage each nan unit successful him is AJ. He's going into this arsenic a favourite, according to a batch of people.
Joshua (pictured) is favoured to win, but Dubois feels he tin upset nan likelihood connected Saturday night
'He's nan 1 who can't spend to suffer this conflict because (he's) 34 years old. If he loses this conflict what happens?
'I don't judge Daniel will lose. Daniel is simply a bigger puncher and his jabs are much meaningful jabs. Each jab is an violative jab whereas you look astatine AJ's jabs, he tries to statement you up pinch a jab.
'I want to spot AJ propulsion those bombs because erstwhile he throws them he is exposed to nan counter.'
