Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois almost started fighting during a filmed interview in which the two fighters had face-to-face. That could have been bad news if one of these punchers were injured, as it would leave little time for them to heal before their September 21st fight at Wembley Stadium in London.
A Near-Brawl in the Making
Newly elevated IBF heavyweight champion Dubois seemingly couldn’t wait to start punching Joshua (28-3, 25 KOs) in the face. He was ready to jump the gun to start beating up the 34-year-old former two-time champion.
Promoter Eddie Hearn said Dubois (21-2, 20 Kos) was ready to throw down with Joshua (28-3, 25, telling him, “‘Well, if you want to go now, I’ll go now,’” according to Charlie Parson.
Joshua fired back: ‘Do you want me to smash this chair across your face? Don’t ever disrespect me like that again.’ And he went for him. They had to be pulled apart.”
The Upstart vs. The Veteran
The well-accomplished former two-time heavyweight champion AJ didn’t like the disrespect shown to him by the young 26-year-old upstart Dubois, who hasn’t done nearly as much during his early career.
Of course, Joshua’s 2012 Olympic gold medalist promoter, Eddie Hearn, gave him a huge boost, placing him in can’t-miss situations against fighters like Charles Martin and 41-year-old Wladimir Klitschko. With the match-making Hearn did for Joshua earlier in his career, he couldn’t help but succeed.
Dubois’ Boosted Confidence
Dubois’ confidence is through the roof, boosted by his victories over Filip Hrgovic and Jarrell ‘Big Baby’ Miller. He’s like a caged tiger, ready to jump through the bars to chew the smug Joshua to pieces before feeding time on September 21st.
I just hope Joshua and Hearn made the right decision by taking this fight against the 26-year-old Dubois because they could be kicking themselves later if it doesn’t work out in the end. This isn’t the right time for them to take on Dubois.
With new trainer Don Charles, Dubois has been transformed from a meek and mild fighter into a monster many thought he would be when he first turned pro.
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