Daniel Dubois vs Joe Joyce – Who wins?
The Best of the British!
The worst kept secret in boxing that Britain’s undefeated KO merchants ‘Dynamite’ Daniel Dubois (14-0, 13KO) and Olympic silver medalist ‘Juggernaut’ Joe Joyce (10-0, 9KO) would meet in the ring has finally been confirmed early in the morning on February 7th. The pair with perfect records will duke it out at The O2, London on Saturday April 11 live on BT Sport Box Office.
British, Commonwealth, WBC Silver and WBO International champion, Dubois will go in against Joyce, the WBA Gold champion and the former Commonwealth and WBA Continental champion, ranked No.1 by the EBU.
Both can bang, both unbeaten, both equal in potential, but who wins and why? BBN ask their trusted panel of boxing professionals to weigh in on the top heavyweight clash:
Davey Oliver Joyce
Two-time WBO European champion
"I think Joe Joyce wins this fight. He has improved so much as a pro since he went professional. Dubois is good, but I think Joyce throws really good combos and that could play a big part in the fight.
Joyce wins this fight on points."
Mark Neilson
Professional Boxing Promoter
"Both are of similar ability and both have KO power. Joyce has faced much better quality opposition so far and has better amateur experience. Not sure that will be a factor in this fight. With their styles and how they both come forward, it’s probably down to who lands clean first."
Ryan Walsh
British featherweight champion
"This is a cracking heavyweight fight and respect to all for making this happen now! Nice for us fans to get a fight we want when we want it!
Should be a great clash of styles which will answer questions on both guys behalf.
I’m going Daniel Dubois, he has the greater fundamentals. Joe will certainly be Daniel's biggest test and stretch the younger champion, although I see a late Dubois KO 9-11.
Joyce only seems to have one gear and one way and that will suit Daniel who eventually will land something which due to Joyce’s style will make it far worse.
Joe doesn’t retreat much so this has all the hallmarks of an absolute classic all-British heavyweight fight with two rising stars. Great for boxing and great to see!"
Frazer Clarke
2018 Commonwealth Games gold medalist
“I see a Joe Joyce win after five rounds. It’s the most exciting fight of recent times in British boxing. Joyce is the winner for me in a difficult fight.
Daniel will be very dangerous early on and can Joe can weather the storm? That might sound like I am sitting on the fence but going by the experience of the two fighters, I think Joe might have more if he survives the early onslaught.
It’s a Joe Joyce win for me, but it is a difficult fight because Daniel is an absolute talent and a half.”
Kieran Gething
Welsh Area super-lightweight champion
"I really think 'DDD' will hit the big time, so I’m going with him, he’ll carry enough stopping power for Joyce, whom I believe won’t reach the world titles that he maybe could have if he’d gone pro earlier!"
Ekow Essuman
English welterweight champion
"This ones a treat for boxing fans, two game fighters meeting quite faster than you'd think in their careers, both having been on the GB squad.
Joyce has a wealth of experience and Dubois has been learning from match to match and has immense power. This one doesn't go to the cards for me. Stoppage by Dubois in the early rounds or stoppage from Joyce in the later rounds… take your pick."
Matt Stanton
Assistant Coach, West Thurrock Boxing
"I found it very interesting that Dubois thought that Joyce’s only advantage over him was experience- in my opinion, if Joyce can negate, or just handle, Dubois’ power, the experience will be what counts.
I think Dubois’ experienced team wouldn’t have taken this fight without good reason, something suggests to me that the decision from the Joyce side may have been a little more gung-ho.
My prediction though is for Joyce to nick a tight win over the distance."
Ben Day
Southern Area champion
"I’m going for Dubois,I think he’s a great talent and technically much better. In my opinion, Joyce is a little one-pace and sluggish and gets hit a little too much."
Steve Wood
Promoter, VIP Promotions
"Interesting fight, I think Dubois takes a commanding start due to Joyce being slow and could win by stoppage early, but if goes past six, then I can see the pendulum swinging the other way."
Jordan Neild
BBN Writer
"Firstly, what a fight. Fair play to everyone involved for getting this over the line. I rate Dubois as much as everybody else, he is one of the best talents coming out of our country but I think there’s a little bit of disrespect for Joe Joyce here. Dubois is a massive favourite and that’s now how I see it. Joyce is incredibly experienced as an amateur, holds some good wins and his win over Jennings is better than anything on Dubois record, in my opinion.
He’s not always great on the eye but Joyce is so effective and has a great engine. I don’t see this as a case of who lands first wins, I fancy it to go deep into the fight. I’m going for a Joyce very late or on a points decision."
Jazza Dickens
IBF European featherweight champion
"Just can’t call it! Both men carry so much power, it’s a coin toss for me!"
Joel McIntyre
English light-heavyweight champion
"This is a big one! Two massive punchers and if you'd asked me six months ago I'd say Joe Joyce, hands down, but now I'm not so sure as Dubois has looked impressive recently.
I think Joyce still pips him because he's very athletic and slightly more experienced, I think; 100% someones getting KO'd though!
Joyce in six, I think."
Dee 'The Hat' Taggart
Professional Boxing Coach
"It’s a great fight and what boxing should be about, I fancy Daniel Dubois by stoppage."
Mick Kane
Boxing Writer
"Looking forward to this one, bit disappointed it has been made a PPV, keep it on BT Sports and keep building their profile with both having arguably their biggest fight to date.
Dubois has shown he is an explosive puncher, an exciting long term British hope on the world scene. Joyce has a relentless engine, he just keeps going and although older appears to be still improving. This could be Dubois hardest fight, I think Joyce can take a punch so could we see this go deep into the fight, will Dubois be able to last the pace or will Joyce withstand the power, intriguing!
At this point I'm swinging slightly in favour of Dubois, 5th round knock out."
Jamie Speight
Three-time Southern Area champion
"A great fight mate, stylistically it’s fireworks but I think the experience, toughness and level that Joe Joyce has operated at as an amateur will see him through the first few but the raw power of Dubois will break him down and stop him over the distance."
Anish Parekh
BBN Writer
"After Dubois' demolition of Nathan Gorman, I immediately wrote that this would be a great step for 'DDD'.
Precocious talent vs established veteran. Is Dubois overrated and Joyce underrated? I don't know but I can't wait to find out.
Dubois clearly has a lot of tools and has been using them to great effect but against a lower calibre of opposition to who Joyce has so far defeated.
Joyce has so often been derided for being slow, limited and cumbersome but his skills and attributes are unfairly overlooked. His utilises his size well and overwhelms opponents with constant, unrelenting pressure to grind them down.
The Juggernaught' holds good victories against Bermane Stiverne, Alexander Ustinov and Bryant Jennings in his last three bouts. Two of them by stoppage. Don't forget his extensive amateur career that culminated in him winning an Olympic silver medal. Not bad for a so-called basic plodder.
Dubois however, just looks special. His intelligence, fluid combinations, power and ability – especially box off the back foot – will be crucial as he demonstrates more wrinkles to his game in the fight.
I envision Dubois avoiding to stand and trade with the bigger Joyce and instead boxing off the backfoot and selecting moments to fire off combinations to deter the iron-chinned Joyce before wheeling away. It won't come easy and Joyce will have his moments to use his superior size and strength and test Dubois' will – taking him deep into the trenches and making him work hard for the victory.
But it will be an impressive victory nonetheless, as Dubois will put the heavyweight on notice and continue his march towards achieving his world title dream."
Ryan Clark
Co-Founder of buymyfight.com
"I think the speed and hunger from Dubois will see him through to the win, by stoppage/KO, in what is at last a fight that fans want to see. It’ll be a good fight I’m sure."
Dan Smith
BBN Writer
"If Dubois puts it on Joyce from the off, then the young heavy should stop the Juggernaut in his tracks within the first six or seven rounds!
It'll be a crackin' fight, however, my money's on DDD."
Joe Neale
Boxing Matchmaker
"Could be fight of the year contender, can’t see it going to the distance at all.
I still think Joyce, at this stage, is a level above Dubois and think he will weather the early storm to stop Dubois in the late rounds."
Raza Hamza
Unbeaten featherweight
"I think this will be a very tricky fight. But I think Dubois will win it through a knockout or Joyce being pulled out. Dubois is very accurate and hits very hard and I can't see Joyce walking through the right hands. But until the knockout, I can see it being a 50/50 very tactical match up.
Dubois will win between rounds 7-10."