Anthony Joshua meets Daniel Dubois in a huge all-British fight with the IBF Heavyweight belt on the line at Wembley Stadium on Saturday night.
Joshua is the favourite as he aims to become a three-time world heavyweight champion while victory could set up a much-anticipated clash with another British superstar, Tyson Fury, or a possible rematch with Oleksandr Usyk.
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Tips
Anthony Joshua to win @ 1/4
Anthony Joshua to win in rounds 7-12 @ 6/4
AJ too good for British rival
Joshua has been on the recovery trail for the past two years since losing to Usyk for the second time and he knows he must get the better of Dubois to keep his dream of becoming undisputed heavyweight champion alive.
In front of what is expected to be the biggest ever British boxing crowd of around 96,000 fans at Wembley Stadium, AJ can deliver again.
Returning to fight at the iconic venue for a fourth time, Joshua will be aware Dubois is a step up from his recent opponents but the 2012 Olympic gold medallist should have too much for his fellow Briton.
Since his August 2022 defeat to Usyk, Joshua has battled his way back with four victories over Jermaine Franklin, Robert Helenius, Otto Wallin and Francis Ngannou and his road to redemption will be almost complete if he emerges victorious on Saturday.
Dubois will not be underestimated by Joshua after Dynamite became IBF interim champion with an impressive stoppage success over Croatia’s Filip Hrgovic in June, before he was upgraded to full IBF champion after Usyk vacated the belt.
However, AJ has the greater experience with a record of 28 wins and just three defeats, with 25 of those successes coming via knockout, while Dubois is 21-2 (20 by KO) as he prepares for his first heavyweight title defence.
Tip 1: Anthony Joshua to win @ 1/4
Late rounds could be decisive
Joshua overcame Wallin in the fifth round and then secured an earlier finish against Ngannou in his most recent appearance in the ring, beating the former UFC Heavyweight Champion thanks to a second-round stoppage.
While it looks unlikely that Saturday’s big clash will go the distance, Joshua may have to wait until the later rounds before getting the job done.
Dubois can dig in and make things difficult for the 34-year-old early on and he demonstrated his credentials to compete at this level when taking Usyk to nine rounds last summer, while in his only other professional defeat, against Joe Joyce in November 2020, he was beaten in the 10th round.
Joshua should take control the longer the bout goes on but Dubois has proven he is a talented fighter in his own right and can provide a stiff test, particularly in the early rounds at Wembley.
Tip 2: Anthony Joshua to win in rounds 7-12 @ 6/4
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