Anthony Joshua vs Daniel Dubois fight details – how to watch, preview, predictions, betting odds, fun facts and more
As Wembley Stadium prepares to host 96,000 fight fans on Saturday night, the largest ever attendance for a boxing fight in Europe, BBN have listed all the details you need to know about Anthony Joshua vs Daniel Dubois.
Fight Details
Date: Saturday, September 21
Time: Event starts from 4pm UK time / 11am ET
Venue: Wembley Stadium, London, England
Main Event: Ringwalks expected from 11pm UK time / 6pm ET
How to Watch
UK:TNT Sports Box Office – £19.99
UK / World:DAZN PPV – £19.99
Fight Week Events
Final Press Conference:
Thursday, September 19
5:30pm UK / 12:30pm ET
Matchroom / DAZN YouTube Channels
Official Weigh-in:
Friday, September 20
6pm UK / 1pm ET
Matchroom / DAZN YouTube Channels
Fight Preview
Anthony Joshua (28-3, 25KO) has emerged from the wilderness after back-to-back defeats to Oleksandr Usyk to secure a shot at becoming a three-time world champion against IBF World titleholder Daniel Dubois (21-2, 20KO).
AJ is undefeated at the national stadium, whereas this is Dubois’ first time appearing there, in front of 96,000 fans, by far the biggest occasion of his career.
With a 95% KO ratio for Dubois and 89% for AJ, it’s fair to say this is very unlikely to go the distance, meaning someone is going to get knocked out.
Many believe that Joshua’s right hand equaliser, when it lands, will cause Dubois all kinds of trouble, but the Greenwich powerhouse has a granite chin, proven in his last two bouts with 24stone Jarrell Miller and top-rated contender Filip Hrgovic.
34-year-old AJ has won four in a row, his last three ending in knockout wins. Now trained by Ben Davison, the Watford warrior appears to be back to his explosive best and is the firm favourite in this fight.
But Dubois famously turned his legs to jelly after landing a left hook in sparring before he even turned pro, and AJ has a questionable chin, rocked by many opponents in fights before.
Dubois has been stopped twice by Usyk and Joyce in rounds nine and 10, respectively. He can outboxed, is easily hit, and succumbs to sustained damage. Aged just 27, ‘DDD’ is still improving with each fight.
Both men have power and have been stopped before, so it’s a hard one to call – see what some of BBN’s experts have predicted below.
Last 5 opponents
Joshua:
Francis Ngannou – Won KO2
Otto Wallin – Won RTD5
Robert Helenius – Won KO7
Jermaine Franklin – Won UD12
Oleksandr Usyk – Loss SD12
Dubois:
Filip Hrgovic – Won TKO8
Jarrell Miller – Won TKO10
Oleksandr Usyk – Loss KO9
Kevin Lerena – Won TKO3
Trevor Bryan – Won KO4
Fight Predictions
Dillian Whyte: “Tough fight [for AJ]. I think he needs to get to Dubois early, Dubois is a massive problem, so he needs to start jumping on him early and start landing right hands early because if Dubois starts double jabbing and throwing combinations then it will be a long night for Anthony Joshua.”
Ricky Hatton: “It’s the perfect time for this fight, both of them are in great form, I think AJ’s got a little bit more in his armoury, he’s got a little bit more boxing ability and he seems to be much more looser under Ben Davidson, he’s throwing his punches with a lot more snap these days.
“Having said that, Daniel only needs one punch. It’s one of those fights where if Daniel landed and knocked AJ out it wouldn’t surprise me, but AJ could outbox Daniel early and then knock him out and I think that’s where my money would go.”
Johnny Fisher: “I’ve sparred Daniel Dubois for many rounds, many times. One thing’s for sure, he can seriously punch, probably the hardest puncher I’ve been in with. So when he fights Anthony Joshua, that’s something he’s got to look out for.
“If I’m thinking about it with a tactical mind, I think Anthony Joshua’s the favourite. He’s got that bit more tactical nous. We know how good he is with his counter right hand from fighting people like – I know he’s a southpaw – but Charles Martin, even [against] Ngannou he showed how powerful his right hand is and how well he can time it, so that’s something Dubois has got to look out for.
“But, who knows? If Dubois turns up and catches him early, he can get a few of them feelings back a year, two years ago when Joshua was [in] with [Andy] Ruiz, it can affect you them sort of things, you know.”
Betting Odds
Joshua: 3/10
Dubois: 6/1
Draw: 25/1
Quotes
Anthony Joshua: “It’s really a blessing. It’s a big blessing. I’ll never forget, I started boxing late, so I used to, well I still do, look up to a lot of people. I’ve been on the other side of the fence. I haven’t always been on the red carpet. I always understand now I’m on the red carpet, how to treat people. I’m never going to turn my nose up at people. That’s just not my style.
“Massive. It doesn’t feel it at the minute because I’m still in like training camp. On Saturday I’m going to be standing behind a curtain and they’re going to say, ‘Anthony – ten seconds’, and I’m going to walk out into the stadium and I’m going to feel that energy. That’s when it gets real. At the minute we’re still hours away so I’m chilled out.
“My mentality is, if I draw a line and put fear on one side, and confidence on the other, but I’m still going into the ring – what one am I going to choose? I’m confident. I believe in myself, and I think that’s the right mentality to have.
“I’ve been in Saudi, it’s good to be home. I’m fighting a Queensberry Promotions fighter as well so it’s a new age for boxing – a golden era if you ask me. I hope that the next generation coming through can benefit from all of this as well. It’s not just about our generation.”
Daniel Dubois: “I’m feeling good, confident. I’m just relaxed and soaking it all up. Soaking up the energy, it’s good. I’m just going to feed off of that energy and build it up. I can’t wait for it. It’s my time. I’m ready for it.
“You guys are going to see that this is my time. I’m the man. I need to go out there and legitimise it. I’m the champ. Yes, by any means necessary. Victory – that’s it.”
Running Order
Mark Chamberlain vs Josh Padley
10×3 Lightweight contest
Joshua Buatsi vs Willy Hutchinson
12×3 WBO Interim World light-heavyweight title
Josh Kelly vs Ishmael Davis
12×3 Middleweight contest
Anthony Cacace vs Josh Warrington
12×3 IBO World super-featherweight titles
Tyler Denny vs Hamzah Sheeraz
12×3 European middleweight title
Anthony Joshua vs Daniel Dubois
12×3 IBF World heavyweight title
Fun Facts
Things you didn’t know about Anthony Joshua:
Born Anthony Oluwafemi Olaseni Joshua on October 15, 1989, in Watford, his family and close friends all call him ‘Femi’, an abbreviation of his middle name. He has three siblings – Jacob; Janet; Loretta.
Part of Anthony’s childhood was spent in Africa with his Nigerian mother, Yeta Odusanya, and his father, Robert Joshua, who is part Nigerian and part Irish. He attended the Mayflower boarding school in Ikene, noted for its high academic achievement.
When his parents divorced, aged 12, during Year 7, he moved back to England with his mother, and joined Kings Langley Secondary School, where he excelled in sports and athletics, breaking the Year-9 100metres record with a time of 11.6 seconds.
He grew up on the Meriden Estate in Garston, which widely regarded as the most dangerous place in the area. It was these tough surroundings that got him into fights and trouble as a teenager.
After his success in the London 2012 Olympics, he bought his mum’s £175k two-bed council house in Golders Green for her.
He supports Watford FC and is good friends with former captain Troy Deeney.
Before becoming a pro boxer, AJ worked on various construction sites as a bricklayer.
In 2009, aged 20, he spent two weeks on remand in Reading Prison for “fighting and other crazy stuff”. Fortunately, he was spared any further jail time, instead receiving a year’s house arrest sentence and made to wear an electronic tag on his ankle.
In March 2011, he was pulled over by police for speeding in Colindale, North London, and found in possession of cannabis hidden in a sports bag in his Mercedes Benz. He was charged with intent to supply Class B drugs and suspended from the Team GB Boxing squad, sentenced to a 12-month community order and 100 hours of community service after pleading guilty at crown court.
His first boxing coach, Sean Murphy of Finchley ABC, has been flown to New York to watch him fight and also treated to a brand-new BMW worth £95k in 2017. Another coach from the gym fell ill so he paid for the best treatment available in Harley Street. Plus, the entire amateur gym has been kitted out with new punch bags and equipment, and regularly given tickets to his fights.
Anthony is rumoured to have had an amateur record of 48-3, 18 KOs. His three conquerors in a vest were Mihai Nistor; Magomedrasul Majidov; and Dillian Whyte, who defeated him in his amateur debut.
His cousin, Ben Ileyemi, was the 2011 ABA heavyweight champion. It was Ben who introduced his cousin to boxing by taking him to Finchley ABC all those years ago, when he was bodybuilding at home on his bench press. They made their pro debuts together on October 5, 2013, at the O2 Arena, both winning by TKO.
His cousin, Maulo, is a rising star in the music business and has even made a personalised ringwalk song for AJ.
Joshua is a father to his young son, ‘JJ’, born in October 2015. His full name is Joseph Bayley Temiloluwa Prince Joshua, who lives in a £500k penthouse in Finchley, North London, with his mother, Nicole.
Lennox Lewis introduced to AJ to chess and he remains a keen player still.
Things you didn’t know about Daniel Dubois:
Daniel Dubois was born September 6, 1997, in Greenwich, London, but now lives in Essex.
His father is originally from Grenada and very active in his son’s career. His younger sister is Caroline, who is also a world champion boxer.
His nicknames are ‘Triple D’ / ‘DDD’ / ‘Dynamite’ / ‘Dangerous’.
His father first took him to the Peacock Gym in Canning Town, South London to keep him out of trouble, aged nine.
His amateur record was 69-6.