Daniel Dubois ready ‘to beat the ambition’ out of Joseph Parker

IBF heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois believes that, following victories over Jarrell Miller, Filip Hrgovic, and Anthony Joshua, the best is still to come.

Dubois fights fellow in-form heavyweight Joseph Parker in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Saturday night, and the Englishman told Sky Sports News that he was enjoying his time in the limelight.

“[I’m] savouring the moment and looking forward to performing and entertaining on Saturday,” the 27 year old said.

“At the moment I’m just calm before the storm. Raring to go right now; I love it. I love the game. It’s good.”

Parker, a former WBO heavyweight champion, is on his own fine run, having recorded victories over two of the division’s biggest punchers in Deontay Wilder and Zhilei Zhang. If he defeats Dubois, he will have beaten another of the division’s heaviest hitters. But Dubois has no plans to go anywhere.

“I’m enjoying it, being champion, savouring the success and enjoying all the experiences it’s given me, meeting different people and people in the team and learning about yourself even more,” said the champion. “It’s all been good.”

Asked whether there was more to come from him than he showed when taking apart Joshua at Wembley Stadium in September, he added: “Oh 100 per cent. They ain’t seen the best yet. Just wait and see.”

Dubois is 22-2 (21 KOs), while New Zealand’s Parker is a seasoned 35-3 (23 KOs). Under the guidance of his trainer Andy Lee, Parker will have a strategy to implement.

“He’s gonna have a plan, so break his plan up and beat the ambition out of him,” said Dubois, who works with Don Charles and padman Kieran Farrell. “That’s my objective and I’m raring to go now. Almost there.”