Daniel Dubois has been in the ring with both Oleksandr Usyk and Anthony Joshua, and may be again soon.
The young Brit’s first world title tilt came against Usyk in August of 2023 after the Ukrainian had taken three of the four major belts from Joshua and defended them in a rematch.
Dubois tried to impose himself on the southpaw champion but was largely unsuccessful save for a moment in the fifth round when he would drop Usyk. It was immediately ruled a low blow and Usyk was given ample time to recover before getting back into his rhythm and scoring his first stoppage in three fights. Dubois was put down in both the eighth and ninth before failing to stand for the referee’s count.
While Usyk went on to become undisputed champion with a win over Tyson Fury, Dubois bounced back with wins over Jarrell Miller and Filip Hrgovic, fighting himself into a position to hold the interim IBF belt and subsequently the full title when Usyk vacated it.
His first defence came against Joshua at Wembley Stadium, and the 28-year-old would retain his strap with an assured and destructive performance that saw him drop ‘AJ’ three times before the fifth round stoppage. Joshua did land a few heavy shots of his own in an attempt to turn the tide, one of which Dubois says felt like a ‘bomb going off.’
Despite that, in a recent feature with the Ring Magazine ‘DDD’ said Tyson Fury, who he has only sparred, hits harder than Joshua and that Usyk hits harder than Fury. A surprising outcome given ‘AJ’ is known as the knockout puncher between the three.
Dubois puts his belt on the line against Joseph Parker this weekend in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, with a win all but guaranteeing him a rematch with Usyk for the undisputed championship.
