Anthony Joshua aims to capture his third world heavyweight title this weekend in a highly anticipated match against Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium, competing for the IBF world heavyweight title. Both fighters are known for their incredible power, having a combined total of 45 career knockouts, promising an intense clash in front of nearly 100,000 fans.
Coming off a recent knockout victory against former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou, Joshua declared that he is more dangerous than ever. He expressed his readiness for the fight, stating, “Aside from belts, and it being him, I’m just ready to fight. This is alpha male business now. September 21. It’s going down,” in an interview with DAZN Sports.
Joshua is currently on a four-fight win streak following two losses to Oleksandr Usyk, and he believes his best performances are yet to come as he sets his sights on Dubois. “I know boxing very well, I’ve studied Daniel, and he will see. I don’t focus on the belt, just him,” he said.
Despite being eight years Dubois’ senior, Joshua exudes confidence leading up to the London confrontation, emphasizing the high stakes involved. “This is a high-paced fight with two big punchers. These fights take a lot out of you, and you have to dig deep because there’s no other exit except for victory,” Joshua added.
The winner of this fight will likely face either Tyson Fury or Oleksandr Usyk in their upcoming rematch on December 21 in Riyadh. The animosity between the two fighters was evident during a press conference where they nearly came to blows after Dubois challenged Joshua to prove who is the better fighter.
Much of the tension is rooted in their rumored sparring session from several years ago. Joshua dismissed claims that Dubois had an advantage in that encounter, stating, “People say he rocked me. People say he dropped me around that time. There’s about 15 heavyweights saying they’ve dropped me; everyone uses my name for clout, but the best way to prove it is by fighting me.” Dubois, however, downplayed their past interaction, stating, “That happened seven years ago. This is not sparring.”
Dubois is looking to rebound from a knockout loss to Joe Joyce in 2020, stating he has emerged from “a dark place” and feels ready to fight. “He has been the king for a while, but I am a kingslayer,” Dubois said, confident in his abilities. He aims to seize the opportunity and stated, “Joshua’s the main man holding all the keys. I aim to knock him out. I’m going to turn him into an old man in the ring. I’m going to make a fool out of him by knocking him out.”