Can Daniel Dubois defeat Anthony Joshua?

After the IBF finally sought to strip Oleksandr Usyk of their heavyweight belt, Daniel Dubois had his status upgraded from interim to permanent champion. So, his bout against Anthony Joshua on September 21st will now see him make his first defence at Wembley Stadium.

While this adds another layer of excitement to an already intriguing matchup, it’s fair to say that AJ is the heavy betting favourite to defeat Dubois in the capital. In fact, if you access a Melbet India promo code and wager with the site, you’ll see that the former two-time heavyweight champion can be backed as low as 1.40.

But does Dubois only have a puncher’s chance here? Or is now his time to make his mark on the heavyweight landscape? Let’s find out!

What Did Dubois Learn from his Win Over Filip Hrgovic?

Dubois won the interim IBF title by stopping Filip Hrgovic in Saudi Arabia in June. In doing so, he inflicted significant damage on the previously undefeated 31-year-old, leaving him battered, bruised and with significant cuts.

This was a statement win for Dubois, who demonstrated improved resilience and exceptional punch power throughout. However, he also took a great deal of punishment himself during the first two rounds, when Hrgovic was able to land his right hand at will.

Of course, Joshua has his own devastating right hand, which both Robert Helenius and Francis Ngannou can testify to after recent fights. 

This represents one of the biggest power punches in the sport, and Dubois will have to improve his head movement and be more elusive if he’s to defeat AJ.

So, Can Dubois Overcome Joshua?

Dubois will have to heed the lessons of his bout against Hrgovic, especially those early rounds where he took some heavy blows. He cannot afford to be as open to right hands against Joshua, who hits far harder than Hrgovic and will punish any failure to make the requisite adjustments.

Of course, Dubois has never been the most elusive fighter. He was unable to avoid Joy Joyce’s heavy, albeit plodding, jab during his first career defeat, while Usyk also landed at will when the two competed back in August 2023. Instead, he relies on his own heavy hands and explosive punch power, alongside youthful endeavour and fitness.

Still, Joshua is clearly the superior fighter, and one who has looked imperious in his previous three bouts, producing two devastating knockouts against Helenius and Ngannou while also stopping the durable Otto Wallin in five clinical rounds.

Certainly, he seems to have rediscovered his confidence and ruthless finishing ability under trainer Ben Davison. In this respect, he appears to have reset successfully after his emotional loss to Usyk in their unified title rematch, winning four successive bouts since then and rediscovering his killer instinct.

Ultimately, it’s hard to see past a victory for Joshua here, possibly via stoppage in the middle or late rounds. However, while Dubois still has to prove his ability and resilience at the highest level of the sport, he certainly possesses the punch power to rock his more seasoned opponent and achieve a shock win!