Boxing’s heavyweight division isn’t all the time its most fun, however when the intense lights are on a giant combat, little or no can evaluate. On Saturday, we’ve received one which isn’t simply massive, however may very well be probably the most fascinating matchups of the yr throughout the whole sport.
At Wembley Stadium in London, Anthony Joshua will tackle Daniel Dubois in a 12-round showdown that sees the 34-year-old “AJ” trying to proceed his climb again to the highest towards a 27-year-old risk-taker who needs to ascertain his personal identify in a giant method.
Joshua (28-3, 25 KO) has been considered one of boxing’s greatest drawing playing cards since he turned skilled in late 2013, a yr and alter after profitable an Olympic gold medal at dwelling in London. Although he’s had setbacks in his profession – a surprising upset loss to Andy Ruiz Jr in 2019 and two defeats to Oleksandr Usyk in 2021-22 – he has just about lived as much as the early hype, profitable world titles and packing arenas and stadiums each day out.
The final couple of years have seen Joshua looking out to rediscover himself within the ring. A tentative win over Jermaine Franklin led to stoppage wins over Robert Helenius and Otto Wallin, because the veteran began to seek out the aggression and ferocity that had as soon as made him a fearsome drive.
This previous March, Joshua confronted former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou in a much-hyped conflict in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Ngannou had gone a shocking 10-round distance with Tyson Fury the yr prior within the MMA star’s professional boxing debut, however Joshua completely obliterated Ngannou inside two rounds, displaying no want to “carry” the combat to be extra “entertaining” just by lasting longer than mandatory. He gave Ngannou little or no respect as an opponent and did what you’d anticipate a prime professional boxer to do in a boxing match towards a non-boxer.
That win might not imply a lot, nevertheless it has Joshua feeling momentum heading right into a far more durable matchup. Dubois (21-2, 20 KO) can punch and might field, and has proven he can get higher and be taught from errors and bounce again from defeat.
Dubois took his first loss in an empty venue in late 2020, when he give up towards Joe Joyce as a result of a fractured eye socket. That form of factor all the time will get closely criticized in a authentic robust sport like boxing, and there have been questions on his coronary heart and want. However when he was dropped thrice by Kevin Lerena in late 2022, he stormed again to win. After a reasonably controversial loss to the aforementioned Usyk in 2023, he’s come again trying higher than ever, together with sporting contender Filip Hrgovic out en path to an eighth-round stoppage in June.
Dubois and his group have proven a willingness to take the form of challenges from which younger fighters are sometimes steered away. Losses occur when fighters take actual challenges, and we’ve seen proof that Dubois actually does have the spirit of a real fighter together with his continued want to face prime names.
It’s a matchup the place you will have two guys who can do injury, assembly at completely different factors of their careers, a traditional little bit of boxing matchmaking. Does Joshua nonetheless have it, or has his rebuild come purely as a result of gentle matchmaking in his final 4 fights? Can Dubois be even higher than he was a couple of months in the past towards Hrgovic, and really put his identify up with the highest finish of the heavyweight division?
It’s harmful for each. A loss for Joshua would have individuals, honest or not, calling for him to contemplate ending his in-ring profession. A loss for Dubois would have many questioning if he’s merely not fairly ok for the elite tier of the division. The winner, in the meantime, will possible be calling for the winner of December’s Usyk vs Fury rematch for a combat in 2025.
It’s massive cash, massive stakes, and massive hitters at a giant stadium. The lights don’t get a lot brighter.
