Daniel Dubois ‘change’ could be key in Anthony Joshua fight

Dubois has been accused of ‘quitting’ more than once, but Derek Chisora believes there will be no quit in the champion on 21 September

Daniel Dubois is a “changed” man and there is no chance he will “quit” against Anthony Joshua, according to Derek Chisora.

Dubois has lost twice as a professional, suffering TKOs by Joe Joyce in 2020 and Oleksandr Usyk in 2023. After each loss, the Briton was accused of quitting for taking a knee and failing to beat the referee’s count.

Yet the 27-year-old has shown his hardened resolve in recent fights, Chisora told Talksport on Wednesday (11 September), 10 days before Dubois defends the IBF heavyweight title against compatriot Joshua.

“That was then, this is now. Daniel’s changed,” said Chisora, a veteran of the heavyweight division.

“Look at his last fight with [Filip] Hrgovic: Hrgovic hit him with straight right hands, and he carried on going. He didn’t drop, and he didn’t quit. He carried on going, and he won the fight.

“[His fight with Jarrell] Miller was a scrap. But he got so tired he was about to quit, but he did not quit.

“The guy who boxed Joe Joyce and Oleksandr Usyk, he’s not that guy anymore. He quit, but I don’t think the guy we’re looking at now is gonna quit at Wembley. I don’t think so.”

Daniel Dubois in his stoppage loss to Oleksandr Usyk in August 2023 (Getty Images)

Dubois bounced back from his loss to Joyce with a run of four straight knockout wins, and since losing to Usyk last August, “Dynamite” has beaten Miller and Hrgovic via stoppage.

The Briton defeated Miller in the final seconds of their bout in December, before beating Hrgovic in round eight in June. The latter result secured Dubois the IBF interim title, which was upgraded to the official belt when Usyk vacated the regular title.

Now Dubois defends the gold against Joshua, 34, at Wembley Stadium on 21 September.