13 months ago, Daniel Dubois was downtrodden and downbeat on his way back from Wroclaw after suffering a second career defeat – this time with contentious circumstances preceding it – against Oleksandr Usyk. Who would’ve thought, little over a year later, that he’d have knocked out the country’s superstar at a record Wembley crowd and become a legitimate world titleholder himself?
Dubois hopes to reach full potential after career night
- Vindication! Warren in press: “I had faith from the beginning, it’s not a turnaround, Daniel was a young man… had double eye fractures and couldn’t fight on [vs. Joyce], Usyk considered the world’s best heavyweight and he gave him his toughest fight… I’d like to see them fight now.”
- Activity is key: “He’ll wanna be busy, he’s a young man at the top of his game… there’s more to come and he’ll improve,” Hall of Fame promoter Warren suggests Dubois could be back again for another IBF world title defence before Christmas as Usyk-Fury 2 set for Dec. 21 in Riyadh
- Contrasting language between the two fighters’ promoters over the presence – or lack thereof – of rematch clause for Joshua, who has one fight left in contractual agreement with Riyadh Season, but unclear whether they’ll run it back next as Dubois holds newfound leverage
- “They said you were gonna get knocked out, we saw who did…” Daniel’s father Stanley, a key component within the IBF world champion’s team
CRITICISM for Daniel Dubois was ever-present during his formative pro years, whether that be because of his shy nature on camera or how Frank Warren seemingly championed this concussive puncher too soon without any evidence to justify why he came so highly-regarded, besides easily blasting beyond unheralded opposition.
It’s why many insiders have urged patience with Warren’s latest prospect in decorated amateur-turned-pro teenage heavyweight Moses Itauma, which directly contrasts his aim of becoming the division’s youngest ever champion by May 2025. Depending on how the titles fragment after Dec. 21, he might just have a chance.
Boxing is increasingly a young man’s sport and in an era where the biggest names are all early-to-mid 30s, this bout had old school vs. new school written all over it. Father time remains undefeated, after all: Joshua turns 35 next month and insisted afterwards he won’t be retiring, while Dubois turned 27 two weeks before fight night.
Warren has, through the good and bad times, stood by Dubois when it would’ve been easy to discard him following a pair of painful defeats. Joe Joyce’s jab proved his kryptonite four years ago, inflicting a first career loss during an encounter he led on the cards through nine rounds. If his defence and head movement was so suspect here, had the matchmaking preceding it just been too flimsy? Not exactly.
The tests progressively intensified, from Kevin Johnson and respected amateur Nathan Gorman to Ebenezer Tetteh among others before Joyce, but even four years on we still see some of the same vulnerabilities making him an exciting watch. Whether that’s a component for long-term success at championship level, we’ll see.
“I’m a gladiator, just a warrior to the end, I wanna go to the top level and reach my full potential. Just behind-the-scenes work with my dad, family, strong team helped me get through this. I’ve just been on a rollercoaster ride, this is my time and redemption story.”
- Dubois on not being denied victory and changes he’s made this last year to reach this stage
Dubois wants an Usyk rematch, assuming he wins a second fight with the 27-year-old’s promotional stablemate Tyson Fury. Warren acknowledged while it’d be an uncomfortable, awkward situation, he’s open to Fury-Dubois in 2025 should The Gypsy King avenge his first pro career defeat four days before Christmas.
“I’d love to see him lace it up, still believe it wasn’t a low blow but we won’t go into all of that. We had a talk afterwards, it was a fight he could’ve won but I said [to him you] can’t let officiating affect you the way it did.
The moment we’re in now, he showed what he’s all about. I felt from day one this was a winnable fight, stamped his authority on it and that’s our Marvin Hagler vs. Tommy Hearns moment.”
- Warren on talk of an Usyk-Dubois rematch, aftermath of the first fight and Dubois’ big moment
Picture source: Mark Robinson / Matchroom — quotes via post-fight press conference
Mo and Sports 