Dubois and Joshua will fight over the vacated IBF Heavyweight Title.
Eddie Hearn has cautioned Daniel Dubois that he will be “outgunned” if he engages in a slugfest with Anthony Joshua.
Dubois, 26, will fight for the vacated IBF heavyweight title against Joshua at Wembley Stadium on September 21. Dubois enters the ring following victories over Jarrell Miller and Filip Hrgovic, demonstrating his ability to both deliver and withstand significant punishment.
Joshua is a totally different fighter now
Since his loss to Andy Ruiz back in 2019, Joshua, an Olympic gold medalist, has adopted a more refined approach. In contrast, Dubois has gained confidence by standing up to powerful opponents. However, Hearn, Joshua’s promoter, believes this could be a mistake if Dubois tries it again.
“Both are going to be letting their hands go,” Hearn told BoxingScene.
“Both are very dangerous. Some people call it a ‘shootout’. But I think ‘AJ’ is a top sniper. He’s too accurate; he’s too good; and if you’re going to get hit against Anthony Joshua, you’re going to have serious problems.
“AJ’s not going to stand in front of him like Filip Hrgovic and just ship shots.”
Hearn emphasized the danger posed by both fighters, who are in peak form.
“It’s two very dangerous heavyweight punchers, in the form and confidence of their careers. For Dubois, the Miller and Hrgovic fights have brought him to the most dangerous point of his career so far,” he continued.
“It’s not a good time to fight Dubois, and it’s definitely not a good time to fight AJ.
“The key points for me are two massive punchers in their absolute primes.”
The recent defeat of Deontay Wilder by Zhilei Zhang ended long-standing hopes for a Joshua-Wilder bout.
When asked if Dubois-Joshua is the closest fight to what was expected between Joshua and Wilder, Hearn responded clearly, suggesting that the upcoming bout with Dubois won’t hold the same aura.
“Joshua-Wilder was a unique fight, but the similarities are that they’re both massive punchers and fast punchers. In that respect, it’s a fight that captures the imagination because it’s very dangerous,” he said.
