When Anthony Joshua walks to the ring to fight Daniel Dubois for the IBF heavyweight title at Wembley Stadium in London, England, on September 21, 3,088 days will have passed since Joshua breezed past Charles Martin to first win the famous red belt.
Lots has happened since that night in April 2016 but although things may feel different if he wakes up on Sunday morning with the belt at the end of his bed – for the time being at least – the thought of recapturing his original title doesn’t trigger any particular feelings in Joshua, nor does it hold any special significance.
When Joshua, 28-3 (25 KOs), beat Martin to first win the title it signified much more. It confirmed Joshua’s arrival on the world stage and was the first, significant step towards turning him into the global attraction he developed.
These days, the title belt would be a nice bonus but is part of a much bigger picture. Beating Dubois, 21-2 (20 KOs), won’t kickstart another long run of title defenses but it should earn him a straight shot at the winner of the upcoming rematch between Oleksandr Usyk or Tyson Fury and, depending on boxing politics, a crack at the undisputed heavyweight title for the first time in his career..
“I always say I would always compare and look back when it’s all said and done. At the minute I’m just very chilled. Everything’s a blessing so I just get on with it. It’s an opportunity to fight” Joshua told Queensberry.
“It’s going to be tough, it’s nerve-wracking but in terms of world titles I’m just like, ‘Here today gone tomorrow. Onto the next’ and then when it’s all said and done I’ll like, ‘Oh I remember when I won that and that was amazing and that was amazing,’ but as for now, conqueror’s mindset; win onto the next.”
Joshua and Dubois have a history dating back some seven years. The exact details of what really happened during their much talked about sparring session in Sheffield will probably end up being lost to time but although it probably means little given how much both fighters have changed since, it has certainly left an undercurrent of tension.
If Joshua has slowly changed and evolved as a fighter and person during his time at the top, Dubois’ transformation has been quick and startling. The 26-year-old’s gutsy, stoppage victories over Jarrell Miller and Filip Hrgovic cast aside the doubts and questions thrown up by his stoppage defeats to Joe Joyce and Usyk.
Dubois is also beginning to develop that all important aura that a heavyweight champion must possess. He will never be as professional or as slick as Joshua is in front of the cameras but he seems to have decided to be himself and appears much more comfortable as a result.
During a long press day of set piece events to launch the fight, tempers flared as the two came head to head for a round table discussion.
Dubois – buoyed by the way he handled the domineering Filip Hrgovic – had clearly made up his mind not to show the more experienced Joshua even the slightest hint of weakness and refused to be intimidated as Joshua sought to impose his seniority, leaving his seat and warning the younger man that he doesn’t take being disrespected lightly.
Joshua respects the attitude that Dubois is bringing to the fight and revealed that a bit of pre-fight tension helps him become the person he needs to be on fight night.
“Always been that way. This is what I feel people don’t really get to understand what it’s like to do our job,” he said. “It’s a very unique job. The glitz and the glamor of it is very unique but when you strip it down to the core of it, let’s say you’re going to get two men to stand up in the ring in front of people and we want you to fight for 47 minutes. A lot of people couldn’t even fight for two minutes. Start the clock and try and fight – try and throw punches – for two minutes.We’re going to do it for 47 minutes so, yeah, people couldn’t really grasp where that takes us as people but I’m straight warrior mindset the whole time. I’m not here to be friends with anyone.”
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