Former cruiserweight world champion Tony Bellew has given his breakdown of the hotly anticipated domestic dust up between Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois.
Bellew and a who’s who of British boxing will be in attendance at Wembley Stadium on September 21st, when Dubois and Joshua will lock horns for the IBF world heavyweight title.
‘DDD’ was elevated to full champion after picking up the IBF interim strap in a career best win over Filip Hrgovic on the Matchroom vs Queensberry 5 vs 5 show last month.
Despite the 26-year-old’s destructive showing, however, Bellew believes ‘AJ’ has his number in all bar one department.
Speaking to IFL TV, the Liverpudlian pundit explained that he believes Dubois’ engine is the only area in which he bests Joshua.
“I think Daniel’s a brilliant fighter and he proved me completely wrong against Filip Hrgovic, I thought he was phenomenal.
“But let’s just weigh it up – every thing Daniel Dubois is good at, Anthony Joshua is just that bit better at.
“He’s a bit quicker, he’s a fair bit stronger. Technically he’s ahead of him.
“I’ll throw this chair across your f*****g face!” š¤¬š¤
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“The only thing Dubois matches Joshua on is his engine and work rate, he might have that slight advantage.
“But he only has that advantage because he doesn’t punch as hard as Joshua, so the fight’s go longer and he can show you that engine.”
Dubois win over Hrgovic was preceded by a final round stoppage victory over brash American Jarrell Miller, and many believe the young Brit is coming into his own under trainer Don Charles.
Joshua, too, is a fighter who appears to have the bit between his teeth. He has scored four wins on the bounce after back to back defeats to Oleksandr Usyk, the most recent being a devastating second round knockout of Francis Ngannou back in March.
Most observers make the Watford man a favorite to overcome his former sparring partner and become a three time heavyweight world champion, however it would be foolish to write off the new and improved Dubois.
