Promoter Frank Warren is excited about his fighter Daniel Dubois potentially fighting Anthony Joshua next following Dubois’ victory over Filip Hrgovic last Saturday night to win the IBF interim heavyweight title in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
It’s still too early to know whether Joshua and his promoter, Eddie Hearn, will choose to fight Dubois (21-2, 20 KOs) because they would base their decision on whether the IBF full title would be available.
The IBF still hasn’t stripped champion Oleksandr Usyk, who is coming off a big win over Tyson Fury on May 18th. The two have a rematch scheduled for December 21st.
Dubois, 26, looked like gold last Saturday night, wearing down the previously unbeaten favorite Hrgovic (17-1, 14 KOs), busting him up over both eyes and stopping him in the eighth round to win the IBF interim title at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh.
Compared to Hrgovic’s past fights, the 2016 Olympic bronze medalist didn’t look like he was in great condition cardio-wise and appeared like someone who didn’t put in the hard work he needed to battle a young puncher like Dubois.
Hrgovic was cocky and dismissive of Dubois during the build-up to their fight, and it was obvious that he assumed that it would be an easy win. He had talked about Dubois quitting in two of his fights, and he might have assumed that when the going got tough against him, he would do the same thing.
Early on, Hrgovic landed some big shots that might have stopped Dubois a year or two ago, but his recent victory over Jarrell ‘Big Baby’ Miller gave him a lot of confidence going into Saturday’s fight. Also, Dubois knew what was at stake – a chance to fight Joshua at Wembley in September and make loads of money.
Warren Praises Dubois’ Grit and Determination
“Daniel Dubois has had all these people questioning his heart, and he’s just shown in three of his last four fights what he’s all about,” said promoter Frank Warren to Secondsout, reacting to his fighter Daniel Dubois’ eighth round knockout win over Filip Hrgovic last Saturday night in Riyadh to capture the IBF interim heavyweight title.
The two defeats Dubois had suffered in the past likely gave Hrgovic the belief that he would crumble once he started landing his power shots. He made a mistake because this was a different version of Dubois that fans had seen, and he was too powerful and conditioned for the 31-year-old Hrgovic.
“Early in the fight, he got caught a couple of times, and he had to get himself into a regroup type of thing, which he did and work behind that jab. He has a superb jab when he’s using it,” Warren continued about Dubois.
The referee did a good job of policing the rabbit punches from Hrgovic, and that may have made a difference because that’s one of the best weapons that he’s used in the past. Without the rabbit punches, Hrgovic looked very average.
“When he started letting that right hand go, he started giving Hrgovic a lot of problems. He busted him up,” said Warren about Dubois. “If he gets you in trouble, he’s a good finisher, and at the end of that round [seven], the bell saved him. Obviously, in the next round, he done what he had to do.
“If that fight comes off, it’s going to be the first of two British fighters fighting for a world title. Two big punchers. That would be something extra special,” said Warren about Dubois potentially fighting Anthony Joshua next.
Hearn and Joshua might choose to go in another direction for their next fight if the IBF title isn’t available. Fighting Dubois without the full IBF title is not worth the risk.
“That’s going to be up to the IBF,” said Warren on whether Joshua vs. Dubois would be for the vacant IBF title. “They can’t do anything because he’s [Oleksandr Usyk] under a 45 day suspension, and he’s only served 15 days of it. So, he’s got another 30 days before they make a decision.”
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