Teddy Atlas says IBF heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois can win his title defense against the more experienced but older Anthony Joshua if he believes it is his “destiny” on Saturday night in London.
Joshua (28-3, 25 KOs) looked nervous during Thuraday’s final press conference. You could tell he was trying his best to put on a false front to look brave, but his acting skills couldn’t mask his fear.
Joshua knows this is the best fighter he has ever faced in his 11-year professional career, and it has come at the worst time for him. He is about to turn 35 in October, and he needs this win to go into his fight with Tyson Fury on a positive note.
The last four weak opponents Joshua has fought have not prepared him for this moment to fight a tough, younger fighter like Dubois. AJ’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, has been trying to help him stay on top, but his good intentions may backfire for this fight because he’s disabled.
“Which is stronger? A big right hand by a two-time heavyweight champion and Olympic gold medalist from Joshua (or the confidence of Dubois). That’s what this fight is all about,” said Teddy Atlas Boxing King Media about the fight between Daniel Dubois and Anthony Joshua.
Joshua has looked no different in his recent fights since Ben Davison took over as his trainer than before. Promoter Eddie Hearn moved Joshua up against lesser fighters to rebuild his confidence, and he kept it up for four fights instead of just one or two.
Hearn’s decision to let Joshua take four confidence builders suggests he was worried. Promoters don’t do that with fighters unless they have deep concerns. He had some serious concerns, and he should have after the way Joshua fell apart mentally against Oleksandr Usyk in their 2022 rematch.
“If he (Dubois) gets hit with a right hand like he did against Hrgovic, he’s going to need that will 2.0,” Atlas said. “He’s going to need it and show the world that will is stronger than skill. That will is stronger than a big right hand. That’s how he wins the battle.”
Dubois has yet to be hit with someone with Joshua’s power, but that may not matter. He looks like he wants to win this battle, and believes in himself after his string of impressive performances.
“Hopefully he improved in camp, and his defense got better,” says Atlas. “But what it really comes down to is the will of him versus the skill of Joshua. If he has it in his head that it is his (Dubois) destiny to win this fight. If Dubois believes it’s his destiny to win this fight, it’s as dangerous as any punch in the book.”
Joshua (34) does not have the youth or the stamina to get into a war with Dubois on Saturday night. His best bet to win is if Dubois fights tentatively, tries to box and doesn’t push a fast pace. If Dubois fights like Joshua’s last four opponents and fights at a slow pace, AJ can win by setting him up for a big shot.
“Dubois’s improvements were on the mental side where he no longer beats himself up and gives in. His improvement is that he believes in himself. This is his improvement. Joshua looks good. With Joshua it is his technique. It’s in a good spot,” Atas said.
Joshua looked good, but these are the tomato cans he looked good against:
– Francis Ngannou
– Otto Wallin
—Robert Helenius
– Jermaine Franklin
Franklin is the only one of the four who is a real contender. When Hearn picked him, he was a bottom-ranked fighter coming off a loss to Dillian Whyte.
“Dubois’ improvements were not in the technical sense. His improvement is that he can act like a warrior when the moment comes. The power of a Hrgovic right hand against the power of a Joshua right hand they are not in the same ballpark. Joshua’s right hand is much more dangerous,” said Atlas.
Even if Dubois does get hit by Joshua after doing what he often did against Hrgovic, he can still win if he can handle the power. If Joshua can’t knock out Dubois in three or four rounds, he’s going to be exhausted, and he’s going to crumble from the hard punches he’s being hit with.
Hrgovic took a lot of heavy punches from Dubois in the early rounds, and even though he landed a lot of good punches, he got worn down. Joshua can’t take Hrgovic’s punches from Dubois without being stopped early in the match, perhaps as early as the third.
