Joshua vs Dubois press conference LIVE: Heavyweights seek upper hand before Wembley showdown
Re-live the press conference, after Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois shared a stage before their all-British title fight
Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois traded words at a press conference on Thursday, two days before their all-British title fight at Wembley Stadium.
Joshua, 34, will challenge Dubois for the IBF heavyweight title on Saturday (21 September), bidding to become a three-time world champion.
Since losing the unified belts to Oleksandr Usyk in 2021 and failing to regain them in 2022, “AJ” has been near-perfect: outpointing Jermaine Franklin then stopping Robert Helenius, Otto Wallin and Francis Ngannou.
Meanwhile, Dubois bounced back from his own loss to Usyk – a stoppage defeat last August – with TKOs of Jarrell Miller in December and Filip Hrgovic in June. The latter result won Dubois, 27, the interim IBF title – which was upgraded when Usyk vacated the official belt.
And so the IBF title is on the line at Wembley this weekend, but before then, Joshua and Dubois made their final statements at Thursday’s press conference. Re-live updates from the Joshua vs Dubois press conference, below.
Joshua vs Dubois press conference LIVE
A tense face-off. No words, no sudden movements.
Many voices within the sport think this bout doesn’t go past six rounds.
I’m inclined to agree.
That’s all from us! Thank you for tuning in!
Joshua vs Dubois press conference LIVE
That’s all the talking done. All that’s left is the face-off.
Joshua vs Dubois press conference LIVE
Dubois on walking out in front of 96,000: “I’ve taken it many times before, it’s just this time it’s on a bigger stage, so the energy is gonna be higher.”
Joshua: “It’ll be the same for all of us, you know? Many of the greats have walked it before, all of the undercard will walk it. I’m gonna feel like any of them. The ring walk, I’m not really interested in.”
Joshua vs Dubois press conference LIVE
On rumours around their past sparring session(s)...
Joshua: “He cracked me with a great shot, and it’s my chance to get him back on Saturday. We sparred hundreds of times, init.”
Dubois: “Sparring is sparring. Fighting is different. We can move on now, move on.” He slaps the table hard but also laughs.
“You think it’s different?” Joshua says with a smirk. AJ adds that he has “various ways” to win this weekend.
Joshua vs Dubois press conference LIVE
Dubois says he wins “by any means necessary, whichever way it comes”.
Joshua: “I’m tough, so is he. As Frank said, we’ve got similarities, so may the best man win really. Good luck to him, good luck to his team.”
AJ discusses the tense moment at his sit-down interview with Dubois earlier this summer, when Joshua threatened to put a chair across his opponent’s face. “You should never let anyone take an inch, because they’ll end up taking a mile,” AJ says. Dubois doesn’t appear to be paying attention.
Joshua vs Dubois press conference LIVE
Frank Warren, Dubois’s promoter: “For me, there’s nothing better than two Brits in the ring on a big night, sold out, it is gonna be something special.
“And Daniel, I do believe, is gonna show what he’s all about. I’ve believed in him since day one, and he’s come through everything – trials and tribulations, injuries, lots of things happen behind the scenes. Now he’s here with this belt, and he’s not gonna let it go.
“He can fight, he can punch, he’s as big a puncher as – if not a bigger puncher than – AJ. Do not blink in this fight. From the first bell to the last, it’s gonna be something extra, extra special.
“I believe this could be Britain’s Hagler vs Hearns.”
Joshua vs Dubois press conference LIVE
Eddie Hearn, Joshua’s promoter: “I know [AJ] isn’t a fan of plaudits, but you have to give them to him. Every fighter in this country today has benefited from the fights, the rise, and the behaviour of this man.
“Personally, on Saturday, I can’t wait. I think it’ll be one of the greatest nights that British boxing has ever seen. As this fight draws closer, people start to realise what a great fight this is.
“Proud of Anthony Joshua, a full believer in where he’s at. Never seen him so calm, so confident, so calculated. I believe with all my heart: three-time heavyweight champion on Saturday.”
Joshua vs Dubois press conference LIVE
Joshua: “It’s a blessing to be back again, to be able to perform and prove to myself and my team that I’ve listened to the instructions in the training camp.
“I’m in peak condition physically and mentally, I’ve been watching some of the old fights as well – adding fuel to the fire, reminding myself what I can do.”
On how the main event plays out: “We’ll find out, we’ve only got a couple hours left. I can’t say, I’m not Daniel; all I can do is focus on myself.”
Joshua vs Dubois press conference LIVE
Dubois mentions his coach Don Charles, who’s been absent this week – amid rumours of a split, but later clarification that Charles has a cold.
Dubois: “Listen, as long as he’s in my corner on fight night, I’m okay. Yeah, everything is good.”
On Saturday: “It’s a resurrection story, my career, and I’m just on a roll right now. I just want the biggest challenges, to make a name for myself, and to create history.”
Why Daniel Dubois might be without his trainer for Anthony Joshua fight
Don Charles’s absence during fight week has been explained ahead of Saturday’s Wembley showdown
Joshua vs Dubois press conference LIVE
Michael Buffer with the introductions, and the key players are now at the main table.
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