Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois both appeared to suggest their infamous sparring session has no relevance ahead of their word heavyweight title showdown.
Joshua challenges Dubois for his IBF strap on September 21 at Wembley Stadium, live on Sky Sports Box Office.
The pair shared several rounds together at the EIS in Sheffield during their early days, with some suggesting that Dubois even stopped ‘AJ’ in one session.
Joshua referred to those rumours during a sit-down interview with his rival on DAZN alongside their respective promoters, Eddie Hearn and Frank Warren and implied the rumours were fuelled by Dubois’ team to boost his name.
“Daniel apparently took my lights out,” the 34-year-old said.
“Everyone tries to underestimate me, use my name for clout and boost their career, but now Daniel’s got a chance to do it by fighting me.
“That’s the best way he’ll prove himself by fighting me.”
Dubois was elevated from interim champion to full titlist after Oleksandr Usyk opted to relinquish the belt in pursuit of a rematch with Tyson Fury, who he will face again on December 21, seven months after winning the undisputed championship against ‘The Gypsy King’ in Saudi Arabia.
‘Triple D’ also remained coy over his previous gym experience with Joshua, insisting he is a different fighter to the one his countryman sparred almost a decade ago.
“Those spars were seven years ago, and I can’t remember a thing about them, to be honest,” the 26-year-old told Sky Sports.
“I’m not here to spar him now, I’m here to fight him, so I’m thinking about that. I haven’t brought my headguard, that spar is in the past for me.
“At the time it was a great experience, but seven years on I’m a different fighter now with different experiences in the fight game.”
Victory for Joshua, in his third appearance at the national stadium, would see him become a three-time heavyweight world champion and hold a version of the crown for the first time since 2021.
The all-British clash is set to break the attendance record of 94,000 set by Tyson Fury and Dillian Whyte during their 2022 showdown after a request from Saudi boxing chief, Turki Alalshikh, was granted to extend the capacity to 96,000.
Alalshikh brings his first Riyadh Season event to the UK two weeks on Saturday and has already announced his plans to stage the long-awaited meeting between Joshua and Fury regardless of the results of their upcoming bouts.
