ANTHONY JOSHUA is one win away from a potential HALF-A-BILLION-POUND Tyson Fury two-fight mega deal.
Victory for Watford’s 34-year-old Olympic legend, over Daniel Dubois tonight at a 96,000 sell-out Wembley, will make him the hottest ticket in boxing.
And – as long as Fury isn’t violently knocked out and injured in the Oleksandr Usyk rematch on December 21 – the wheels are already in motion for FINALLY making the fight everyone in England wants to see.
Our AJ may dream of getting one back on the 37-year-old Ukraine icon who dominated him twice to snatch away his WBA, IBF and WBO belts.
And a win over 27-year-old Dubois – with bright young trainer Ben Davison – would rightly make him a confident boost about a shot of revenge
But outside of Team AJ and cheerleader Eddie Hearn – there is no clamour at all to see Joshua vs Usyk 3 – especially when the best he can do is drag it back to 2-1 against a man who would be pushing 40 with four kids indoors to worry about.
For all of AJ’s incredible success and downright decency – London 2012’s legacy, his singlehanded revolution of British boxing, and saving of hundreds of local gyms with personal donations in lockdown, when the Government left the sport to die – it is a stain on his record that he never faced a peak and and undefeated Fury or Deontay Wilder.
He has been the golden goose and the cash cow in a sport that is usually a bit of a pigsty – his status as a British sport legend is cemented for eternity.
But across the Pond in America – which will return as the boxing Mecca when Saudi get bored or achieve their goal with funding fights – he is seen as a dud.
The violent knockout loss on his one and only trip to the Big Apple, left a bitter taste over there and snatching a win back over Usyk will not help his reputation outside of his diehard fans.
But if he hangs up his gloves with the Gypsy King and Wilder on his record, then people will have the right to frown when his name is mentioned among the pantheon of greats.
But two great Fury fights – each likely to do around 2m pay-per-view sales at a guess of £30-a-pop – with one likely to sell out a 100,000 seater UK stadium at an average of maybe £500 a ticket – would be a spectacle right up there with the Fight of the Century, Thrilla in Manilla and Rumble in the Jungle.
The world will stop to watch the build-up – let alone the fight.
Imagine the antics John Fury would get up to, what Team Fury’s Brady Bunch of brothers and pals would say to AJ and his boardroom brotherhood.
The brilliant old stories will be dragged up.
The 2010 sparring session at Finchley where rising pro Fury offered his Rolex watch to any man who could floor him and an uppercut from the reformed bad-boy bricklayer almost clocked him.
The fight was almost made twice but collapsed over money and ego.
The bizarre time they bumped into each other in Marbella and – despite all his tirades and taunting – Fury was polite to his verbals victim.
Us hacks will definitely drag up the hilarious times Fury would video call Joshua totally unannounced and wind him up.
Carl Froch will back Fury and say Joshua is useless, John Fury will offer Froch a fight.
Wladimir Klitschko will land back on the scene and support Joshua.
It would be magnificent, hilarious, historic, slapstick, tense, dark and drenched in Saudi slush funds.
And every man, woman, child and dog and duck will want to be there – the trendies who reckons Oasis were never that good – might pretend they don’t care.
Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk have differing opinions on the outcome of Anthony Joshua vs Daniel Dubois.
Dubois defends his IBF heavyweight title against Joshua on Saturday night at Wembley Stadium.
Both boxers enter the contest in good form and have significantly shifted the narratives around them heading into fight night.
Dubois was labelled a ‘quitter’ by several members of the boxing fraternity after seeing out counts on one knee against Usyk and Joe Joyce.
However, gutsy wins over Jarrell Miller and Filip Hrgovic in his last two outings have gone a long way in changing people’s minds about his heart.
Similarly, Joshua was criticised for being ‘gunshy’ following his knockout loss to Andy Ruiz in 2019.
But the Watford powerhouse has proved he still has plenty of fire left in his belly with spiteful stoppage wins over Otto Wallin and Francis Ngannou last time out.
The winner of the contest will punch their ticket for an undisputed fight with whoever emerges victorious between Fury and Usyk on December 21.
Both men will be ringside this weekend and cast their verdict on how Joshua vs Dubois will go down.
Usyk, who has defeated both men in the past, is backing AJ.
“My favourite is Anthony Joshua but I am very bad at predictions. But I will predict Anthony Joshua,” Usyk told Boxing King Media.
SEE MORE: Oleksandr Usyk Finally Names Who Will Win Tyson Fury-Anthony Joshua Fight After Facing Both…
He added to Boxing News: “I treat Daniel Dubois with respect. I wish him good luck, and let him become the champion someday – that he trains well…
“There is no way to compare [Dubois and Joshua] because they are completely different fighters.
“Different skills; different styles. Totally different boxers.
“To be fair, I don’t think [Dubois can reach Joshua’s level]. I am sorry for saying this, but this is the truth and I’m telling it.”
Fury, on the other hand, is placing his faith in Queensberry stablemate Dubois.
Fury’s manager Spencer Brown revealed his client’s prediction on the TNT Sports Open Workout show: “Tyson I think fancies Dubois, yeah I’m sure he fancies Dubois.
“Well, last time I spoke to him he did. He fancies Dubois.”
After a blockbuster first bout, Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury will be back in the ring on December 21 to settle their rivalry. But there are some lingering doubts about whether ‘The Gypsy King’ will enter the squared circle and exchange blows with the unified heavyweight straps on the line. It’s not a question of motivation or the zeal to put on a display for the fans, but about money now.
Usyk, 37, and Fury, 36, clashed in May earlier this year to become the first undisputed heavyweight this century. After a close encounter, the Ukrainian fighter stood tall and took all the marbles to his home, setting up a rematch for December. But there have been doubts in the Usyk camp about Fury, at 34-1-1, honoring his rematch commitments and the contractual clause.
The camp has referenced on multiple occasions how the British fighter rescheduled their fight three times. They also considered how he failed to give Wladimir Klitschko his rematch on two different occasions, pulling out because of medical reasons.
Usyk, at 22-0, admitted his apprehensions when he sat down in a conversation with ‘Ready To Fight’. However, according to him, things would be different because of their contractual obligations, which impose financial sanctions in case of a withdrawal. The Simferopol native said, “No way, because the ball’s in our court now. He has a contract, and so do I until Dec 31st. We have to hold this fight up to and including [that date]. If he pulls out Dec 21st, he will lose all of his money and dividends and won’t be a man of his word anymore.”
Interestingly, a match with the winner of Anthony Joshua vs. Daniel Dubois is in the pipeline for the winner of Usyk vs. Fury for the next year. But Usyk only has the motivation to fight only two boxers now.
SEE MORE: Former Former Anthony Joshua Trainer Robert Garcia Has No Doubt Who Wins AJ vs Tyson Fury…
Retirement plans? Oleksandr Usyk hints at future after Tyson Fury rematch
‘The Cat’ revealed his plans with Seconds Out and admitted his interest in a trilogy fight with ‘AJ’. After that, he wanted to hang his gloves and give the younger generation a chance to take over. He declared, “Well, this is a rematch with Fury and possibly a third match with Joshua… Apart from Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua, I have no desire to box with anyone.”
A trilogy match with Joshua, 34, would only make sense if the British fighter triumphs over Dubois, clinches the IBF title, and then tries to unify the heavyweight titles. Otherwise, taking a fight with Dubois also won’t affect Usyk’s image, as there is unfinished business between the two.
What do you make of these comments by Oleksandr Usyk about Tyson Fury? Do you believe the latter will pull out of the rematch? Let us know in the comments below.
RELATED: Lennox Lewis Delivers Honest Verdict On Tyson Fury’s Chances In Oleksandr Usyk Rematch….
The huge rematch between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk is fast approaching.
Few would disagree that these two are the best heavyweights on the planet right now. Ukrainian Usyk is yet to lose a fight in the division and was also unbeaten down at cruiserweight where he cleared up and became undisputed champion back in 2018
JUST IN: Lennox Lewis Delivers Honest Verdict On Tyson Fury’s Chances In Oleksandr Usyk Rematch….
He pulled off the same feat in the heavyweight ranks in May when he inflicted a first-ever defeat on Fury. The Brit is now in working hard to try and avenge that loss, having said he was having so much fun in the first fight he took his eye off the ball.
Former world champion Wladimir Klitschko was dethroned by Fury back in 2015 and has now had his say on the rematch which will be for the WBA, WBC and WBO titles in December out in Saudi Arabia.
Speaking to rtfight.com, he said he thinks it will be a different fight to the last one, which was nip and tuck over 12 rounds.
“We can’t look into the future — only my brother can do that. But I’m confident that the next fight between Fury and Usyk will either be short because Oleksandr will knock Tyson out, or it will be extremely challenging for both athletes — even tougher than the first bout.”
Klitschko then reflected on the first fight.
“We saw that up until the ninth round, the fight was very tough. But I’m proud of Oleksandr. He achieved everything at cruiserweight, and when he moved up to heavyweight, I had questions about how he would handle it, and so did he. It’s a completely different environment there — the size, the weight.”
Finally, he had high praise for his countryman Usyk.
“Usyk will go down in history as one of the most unique athletes in boxing.”
Whoever wins this fight could well go into another undisputed fight with the winner of Anthony Joshua versus Daniel Dubois.
A blockbuster heavyweight fight between great rivals Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury can still happen ‘no matter what’; Joshua fights Daniel Dubois first with Fury to rematch Oleksandr Usyk in December; Watch Joshua vs Dubois on September 21 live on Sky Sports Box Office
JUST IN: Former Former Anthony Joshua Trainer Robert Garcia Has No Doubt Who Wins AJ vs Tyson Fury…
Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua have circled one another through much of their professional careers.
They have each won multiple world championships, belts which both of them have now lost and will fight to reclaim.
Joshua boxes Britain’s Daniel Dubois for the IBF heavyweight title at Wembley Stadium on September 21, live on Sky Sports Box Office, while Tyson Fury will try to win back the WBO, WBA and WBC belts in his December rematch with Oleksandr Usyk.
But eventually the paths of Fury and Joshua, two great heavyweight rivals, could still intersect, even if they don’t necessarily win their next fights.
“I always felt that AJ and Tyson would fight at some point. At some point. Win, lose or whatever,” Todd DuBoef, president of Fury’s US promoters Top Rank, told Sky Sports.
“It’s like Batman and Robin. They go together. I just feel like at some point they’re going to fight regardless of what their body of work is, regardless of how they come out of fights.
SEE MORE: Former Former Anthony Joshua Trainer Robert Garcia Has No Doubt Who Wins AJ vs Tyson Fury…
“I think they both have great fanbases, they both come from a wonderful country with history.
“We’ve had this wonderful heavyweight renaissance, the UK being the epicentre of it, so I’ve always felt like they’ll fight at some point.”
That is just his instinct. Fury and Joshua themselves are focused on their immediate challenges against Usyk and Dubois respectively.
But it also comes from his reading of boxing history. Fights between fierce rivals, who have similar statures in the sport, can be a long time in the making. But they tend to get made in the end.
“I think there’s a lot of bragging rights and they’ve had a rivalry for 15 years or whatever it is and I don’t think it ever goes away,” DuBoef said of Fury and Joshua.
“Mayweather-Pacquiao eventually happened. There were rivalries for 10 years and eventually they happened. I just think it makes sense at one point.
“You see history, you see how things happen,” he continued. “I think timing is everything.
“At some point I think they lock it up and they get in the ring together. It makes all the sense in the world.
“I can see it happening no matter what.”
Anthony Joshua’s heavyweight showdown with Daniel Dubois takes place on Saturday September 21 live on Sky Sports Box Office. Book Joshua v Dubois now!
RELATED: ‘I’ve Sparred Tyson Fury, But Anthony Joshua Hits So Hard it Scares Me’…
Anthony Joshua is hitting as hard as ‘a car crashing at 100mph’ ahead of his fight with Daniel Dubois later this month. That’s according to former super-middleweight world champion Billy Joe Saunders, who recently watched ‘AJ’ in training.
JUST IN: Daniel Dubois Gives Honest Verdict On Tyson Fury-Oleksandr Usyk Rematch And Facing The Winner…
Saunders knows plenty about elite heavyweights, having worked alongside his pal Tyson Fury on multiple occasions, and he predicts that Dubois could be in for a tough night at Wembley Stadium on the 21st of September.
Since dropping a pair of decision losses to Oleksandr Usyk, Joshua has put together a four-fight win streak that has seen him defeat the likes of Robert Helenius, Otto Wallin and Francis NGannou. All those wins have come under the guidance of Saunders’ former trainer Ben Davison and Billy Joe couldn’t hide how impressed he was with the Watford-born heavyweight while speaking to Box Nation.
Billy Joe Saunders on Anthony Joshua’s ‘Scary, Scary Power’
Ex-world champion claims there is ‘no way’ that the fight with Dubois goes the distance
“I watched AJ recently up close training in the Ben Davison camp, I pop in there now and then just to have a look,” said Saunders. “Watching AJ, it seems to me that he has a new lease of life. He seems like he’s reborn again, he’s believing.
“He’s going to be a very, very dangerous opponent for anybody in the heavyweight division, in my opinion. Up close, watching him throw a right hand it was scary, scary power it’s like a car doing 100mph into a wall. He’s hitting the pads with so much force.”
Saunders sees no possible way that the Wembley Stadium showdown goes the distance and suggested that an error-prone Dubois may struggle to keep up with his more seasoned opponent.
Anthony Joshua & Daniel Dubois’ pro boxing records (as of 06/09/24) | ||
---|---|---|
Anthony Joshua | Daniel Dubois | |
Fights | 31 | 23 |
Wins | 28 | 21 |
Losses | 3 | 2
|
“Someone’s getting knocked out, it definitely ain’t going the distance, someone’s definitely getting knocked out. With all due respect to Dubois, who is a dangerous guy, he makes mistakes and he is not a difficult fighter to work out. What he does have – he’s very strong and he can punch and he’s physically a problem. But he makes a lot of mistakes.”
Joshua knows that there is no room for slip ups as he challenges Dubois. Defeat would almost certainly end all hope of a crack at redemption against Usyk or of the long-awaited all-British showdown with Tyson Fury.
Saunders believes that ‘AJ’ recognises the importance of a dominant victory and has predicted that he will get the job done and move on to some career-defining bouts next year.
“I think the momentum from an AJ win in style would take him into a massive 2025 which funnily enough could be the defining moment of his career.” Anything other than a Joshua win will likely leave him with a lot of thinking to do about his future. However, if he is successful in eye-catching fashion, then the heavyweight division will – once again – be one of the most exciting weight classes in all of boxing.
RELATED: Former Former Anthony Joshua Trainer Robert Garcia Has No Doubt Who Wins AJ vs Tyson Fury…
Daniel Dubois has a message for Oleksandr Usyk if the unified heavyweight king is seriously considering an eventual drop back down to cruiserweight: We have unfinished business first.
JUST IN: Tyson Fury Can Beat Oleksandr Usyk If He Follows Billy Joe Saunders’s Plan…
It’s been a year since Dubois was stopped by the Ukrainian in the ninth round of their world title showdown in Wroclaw in controversial circumstances, but the 26-year-old has since rebounded with TKOs of his own against Jarrell Miller and Filip Hrgovic.
A blockbuster clash with Anthony Joshua at Wembley Stadium on September 21, live on Sky Sports Box Office, is rapidly approaching too, where the winner would likely be on course to face whoever comes out on top in Usyk’s December rematch with Tyson Fury.
Usyk had previously floated the idea of dropping back down a division to reclaim undisputed status at the 14-stone limit, but Dubois is determined to make amends against the 2012 Olympics gold medallist after he faces Joshua.
“I need to go in there and right that wrong,” Dubois told Sky Sports.
“There is definitely unfinished business with me and Usyk, and that’s part of my rise. I was in a dark place before and I’m coming into the light, so I need to get that back.
“He was at cruiserweight before and I’m sure he could come back up, but let’s see how the future plays out.”
Added into the mix is the fact Dubois now holds the IBF belt which Usyk relinquished in June, ending his reign as the first undisputed heavyweight champion for a quarter of a century after barely a month.
That saw Dubois upgraded to the sanctioning body’s world champion, having earned interim status with his eighth-round stoppage of Hrgovic in Saudi Arabia at the start of June.
SEE MORE: Oleksandr Usyk Finally Names Who Will Win Tyson Fury-Anthony Joshua Fight After Facing Both…
The vagaries of boxing politics are of little concern to the Greenwich fighter, but it did mean that at the time of his clash with former unified world champion Joshua being announced, he was still not in possession of the actual belt.
“We’re waiting – where is it?!” Dubois said with a laugh. “But hopefully I’ll get it.
“But you know what? That’s how Lennox Lewis became champion, and it’s happened before in the past in boxing history.
“Just to get your name up there as world champion is a great feeling.
“I wish I had it on the night, the IBF world title belt, but it’s all good.”
The victory over Hrgovic was something of a statement win for Dubois as well, particularly given the criticism he received over the manner of his defeat to Usyk.
The encouragement from ringside of his father as well as trainer Don Charles helped spur him on that night in Riyadh and he is taking one big lesson from that contest into his fight against Joshua.
“It was to just keep digging deep,” Dubois said. “Like my dad was saying from outside the ring, ‘don’t wait, don’t wait!’.
“Once I start throwing at them, they have to defend. The best form of defence is attack, so I learnt from that fight to attack and attack and keep going.
“It’s massive [having dad ringside]. You just need that, to kick you up the backside and get on with it!
“I started off a bit shaky, but I got into it once the rhythm went. I felt the vibe and I had the right people in my corner, so it was great.”
Now back boxing on home turf in London as a defending world champion, Dubois is under no illusions about what is at stake.
He knows victory over Joshua would open up the possibility of adding more world title belts to his collection, and maybe even the chance to put right what he felt went wrong against Usyk.
“It puts me at the top of the tree now [if I beat Joshua],” Dubois said. “It does make me the king, for sure.”
Anthony Joshua’s heavyweight showdown with Daniel Dubois takes place on Saturday September 21 live on Sky Sports Box Office. Book Joshua v Dubois now!
(c) Sky Sports 2024: Daniel Dubois’ warning for unified champion Oleksandr Usyk: ‘There is definitely unfinished business’
RELATED: Daniel Dubois Gives Honest Verdict On Tyson Fury-Oleksandr Usyk Rematch And Facing The Winner…
Coach Robert Garcia has looked forward to an all-British banger between former charge Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury
JUST IN: Daniel Dubois Gives Honest Verdict On Tyson Fury-Oleksandr Usyk Rematch And Facing The Winner…
Garcia is a decorated coach who has worked with many world champions including Mikey Garcia, Nonito Donaire, Brandon Ríos and Marcos Maidana. He currently corners pound-for-pound star Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez.
Because of his many years of experience with talented fighters, he was brought in by Joshua after the Brit lost his first fight with Oleksandr Usyk in 2021 and was looking to correct mistakes and exact revenge in the rematch in 2022.
It didn’t work out like that and Joshua again lost on points over 12 rounds, despite a more competitive showing. He separated from Garcia and linked up with Derrick James.
After a couple of fights with James, Joshua hooked up with former Fury coach Ben Davison, who oversaw his last stoppage wins over Otto Wallin and Francis Ngannou and is now guiding him through camp ahead of his IBF world title shot with Daniel Dubois on September 21.
Should Joshua come through that, and if Fury wins his rematch with Usyk having lost their first fight for undisputed in May, the two British big men could come together in the ring next year.
Speaking to ESNEWS, Garcia was asked how he thinks his former fighter would fare against Fury should it happen, predicting a big finish.
“I think Joshua knocks him out.”
Although both winning would potentially set up an undisputed bout, Riyadh Season’s Turki Alalshikh has recently stated that he wants to make AJ-Fury regardless of ‘The Gypsy King’s result against Usyk in the rematch.
RELATED: Tyson Fury Can Beat Oleksandr Usyk If He Follows Billy Joe Saunders’s Plan…
Daniel Dubois could be on course to meet the winner of the upcoming Oleksandr Usyk versus Tyson Fury fight.
JUST IN: Tyson Fury Can Beat Oleksandr Usyk If He Follows Billy Joe Saunders’s Plan…
Dubois is in fine form right now as he heads into his first IBF world title defence against fellow British heavyweight Anthony Joshua. His last two fights have been the best of his career after losses to Joe Joyce and Usyk rather set him back.
The first of his most recent wins saw him stop supersized American contender Jarrell Miller in the dying seconds of the 10th and final round back in December, while in June he stopped the big-hitting Fillip Hrgovic via cuts.
It was only a year ago that Dubois lost in his first world title tilt when he took on Usyk. Despite some success, he eventually succumbed to a right hand in the ninth round which led him to missing the count.
Speaking to Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions, Dubois was asked who he thought would win the Usyk-Fury rematch which takes place in December after the Ukrainian won the first fight to become undisputed in May.
SEE MORE: Oleksandr Usyk Finally Names Who Will Win Tyson Fury-Anthony Joshua Fight After Facing Both…
“I hope Fury does it, I hope Fury wins. Usyk’s a good fighter though, yeah, we’ll see. Usyk has definitely proven himself.”
It was then put to him that he could meet Usyk for a rematch of his own should he beat Joshua.
“Maybe yeah, definitely, come through this one. One fight at a time though.”
After his Miller win, Dubois had called for the top three to face him.
“All the big names. I’m coming for them. AJ, the rematch with Usyk, Fury, all of them. I’ve gained loads of experience.”
Dubois has his first wish granted – he faces Joshua on September 21 at Wembley Stadium in the first defence of his world title.