Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois faced off on the banks of the River Thames, going head-to-head for the first time in the week ahead of their IBF heavyweight world title fight.
At Monday’s face off Joshua, scowling in the sunshine, marched straight up to Dubois and, unblinking, glared down at his young rival.
Both have well-deserved reputations as fearsome punchers. But Dubois is looking for something more in this fight. He doesn’t just want to win by knockout. He wants to inflict something on his opponent which, for a boxer, is worse than that. He wants to make Joshua quit.
“I’ve got to make him quit, break him down, That’s my mindset going into this. Making him quit, breaking him,” Dubois told Sky Sports. “I believe I can.”
Quitting was an allegation thrown at Dubois after his defeat to Joe Joyce. It’s a criticism of his character that he has been fighting to dispel ever since.
For him the sweetest victory of all would be to enforce an ending of that nature in the highest-profile event of his boxing life. For Dubois that would be a kind of cruel redemption.
“I’m turning it round now at this stage of my career. I’ve come through my ups and downs, just turning it round,” Dubois said.
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“Enjoy the moment, let all the talking be done, let all the statements be made. I’m in a good place right now and I’m ready to fight.”
Joshua and Dubois had to be separated earlier in the promotion when an altercation threatened to take place at a joint interview.
The animosity still seemed to simmer between them at the stare down. “I looked into his eyes, and I don’t know, I’m so used to it now. It’s part of the game,” Dubois said.
He’s adamant that Joshua’s team are underestimating him.
“Of course they are, he’s going to be in for the shock of his life,” Dubois said.
“Seize the moment. It will all become real. Enough of the thinking, enough of the talking.”
But he is happy enough to be perceived as the underdog. “I still have that mindset, I’m still like that. Everyone wants to see the underdog come through and come out on top,” he said. “I’m the underdog and I love playing that role, make it another night to remember.”
