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Daniel Dubois To Defend IBF Heavyweight Title Against Anthony Joshua At Wembley Stadium

Newly-minted IBF heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois will make the first defense of his title against Anthony Joshua at Wembley Stadium on September 21.

Dubois has been crowned champion after Oleksandr Usyk, who became the undisputed ruler with a May victory over Tyson Fury, relinquished the IBF title to allow the London heavyweights to fight for the belt.

Joshua will bid to become a heavyweight champion for the third time in his lucrative and decorated career against a man he has shared sparring rounds with in the past.


Both are members of the heavyweight division’s ‘in-form club’, with Dubois coming off stoppage wins over Jarrell Miller and Filip Hrgovic and Joshua posting one-sided victories over Otto Wallin and Francis Ngannou.

The Wembley stadium bill will include the WBO interim light-heavyweight title fight between 18-0 (13 KOs) Joshua Buatsi and Willy Hutchinson, 18-1 (13 KOs), a middleweight bout between European champion Tyler Denny, 19-2-3 (1 KO), and the highly-regarded Hamzah Sheeraz, 20-0 (16 KOs), and Ireland’s IBF southpaw super featherweight champion will make the first defense of the title he won from Joe Cordina in May. There is also an interesting middleweight clash between Liverpool veteran Liam Smith, 33-4-1 (20 KOs), and 15-1-1 (8 KOs) Josh Kelly, while Portsmouth lightweight Mark Chamberlain, 16-0 (12 KOs), is on the bill against fellow unbeaten contender Josh Padley, 14-0 (4 KOs).

There was strong speculation that the heavyweight rematch between Fabio Wardley and Frazer Clarke would be included on the bill, but that is now likely to go ahead on a separate bill on Sky Sports.

More to follow.

Apart from the rather suspiciously casual way that Dubois has been granted the IBF belt this is an interesting matchup.

Both boxers have dramatically turned their careers around after facing Usyk and now we'll get to see just how much.

Some are already saying that is one sided and that Dubois will be an easy night's work.

Anthony Joshua won't be one of them.

Rightly so.

Whoever these guys manager's are is guiding their careers really well. Joshua has looked great of late, and the matchmaking in part is responsible for that.

I think this is another one where Joshua will look great, and Dubois will take the role of the new Chisora type guy of this era.

I'm more excited by the undercard. Cacace vs Warrington and Sheeraz vs Denny. It doesn't get better than that. Although, Josh vs Dubois is also a good match. I give Dubois a real chance in this fight. He's a live underdog.

Noxy wrote: ↑26 Jun 2024, 17:35 I'm more excited by the undercard. Cacace vs Warrington and Sheeraz vs Denny. It doesn't get better than that. Although, Josh vs Dubois is also a good match. I give Dubois a real chance in this fight. He's a live underdog.

It's a great card.
Also Smith vs Kelly should be alright, I can see Smith tracking Kelly like a shark, waiting...

Its a real pick-um fight if Joshua starts slowly and allows Dubois to gain confidence.

I give Dubois a real chance if Joshua starts slowly and hesitantly - but Joshua appears to have that spiteful look as he did against Wallin who he also knew very well - so its a busted up Dubois quitting again I predict.

Its a good card - the Saudis money appear to be turning boxing around.

Frank Bruno 2.0 wins Frank Bruno 3.0.

DrDuke wrote: ↑27 Jun 2024, 06:54 Frank Bruno 2.0 wins Frank Bruno 3.0.

Most logical fight to make for both of them.

Who wins? Let me ponder this. I think I know who the winner will be. I am 97% sure, but I have been wrong before. Okay here goes my prediction, The winner will be Usyk as he is 3-0 vs both men, and his second best win after Joshua vs. Dubois will enhance thier resume.

I've got Joshua a clear favorite, and I'm thinking KO. If Dubois wins this, then it's really his time.

Dubois has done enough to earn a title shot, oh wait no, they're calling him the champion already. Anyways, Dubois has done enough to earn a shot at Joshua, but I think Parker and Zhang have done more. Wait no, Dubois is the champion, I already forgot.

That sit down chair across the head thing was cringe

Dubois on entering the prime of his career
“I was speaking about before, I was in a dark place and I was going through some stuff but I feel like I’ve been resurrected now. I’m in the light again and I’m ready to fight. He’s been the king for a while, he’s been the king for a long time in fact, but I feel like it’s my time and I’m a king slayer and I’ve got to do that again.”

Joshua on his matchup against Dubois
“All due respect, you don’t underestimate anyone but I do know boxing very well. All this stuff that we talk about, I study Daniel and I look at some of the things that he says, his characteristics, his boxing talent, his upbringing and so on — all of it’s irrelevant. Is he ready? Everything I tell you is irrelevant. He will see, September 21st.”

Joshua on the rumor of Dubois supposedly knocking him out in a past sparring session
“Everyone tries to underestimate me, using my name for clout and boost their career. But now Daniel’s got a chance to do it by fighting me. That’s the best way that he’ll prove himself, is by fighting me.”

Towards the end of the conversation things would get tense with Joshua taking offense to Dubois saying “If he wants to swing, let’s go now,” to which Joshua would ultimately get out of his seat and engage Dubois in some intimidation tactics.

DD is in for a very difficult night.

Anthony Joshua is likely to punish Dubois' technical shortcomings in a far more severe fashion than any of his previous opponents could.

Great work by Eddie to secure a belt for AJ as fast as possible.

Both promoters are clearly desperate for Joshua v Fury.

Our guy is a man of his word:

https://x.com/ppv_com/status/1831711385870377051?s=46

19.99 isn’t bad.
Is that in addition to the DAZN subscription?

Contendeh wrote: ↑05 Sep 2024, 19:39 19.99 isn’t bad.
Is that in addition to the DAZN subscription?

Most likely

Most people think Joshua will win easy but Dubois only turned 27 today and is the best condition anyone has ever seen him in. He will be very dangerous. Young, fearless, in a great place mentally and this is heavyweight boxing, all he needs is one punch.

I also believe Dubois is very dangerous. He has a chin of steel (despite the knockdowns and stoppages suggesting otherwise) and hits extremely hard. He's a threat to anyone in the division.

Sendo Takeshi wrote: ↑06 Sep 2024, 18:32 I also believe Dubois is very dangerous. He has a chin of steel (despite the knockdowns and stoppages suggesting otherwise) and hits extremely hard. He's a threat to anyone in the division.

Agreed

Intriguing matchup. I got AJ to win this.