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
Joshua and Dubois are in the room. They should be taking to the stage any moment now.
Joshua vs Dubois press conference LIVE
Rising British heavyweight Moses Itauma, who’s been touted as a future world champion, has sparred with Joshua and Dubois.
He tells Sky: “The thing is, when I sparred Anthony Joshua, I feel like... I was obviously 16, and he didn’t really want to knock out a 16-year-old!
“I feel like AJ would probably hit harder, but Dubois’s jab is very, very annoying. It’s just in a weird position, where it just stops you from throwing. His speed is very underrated as well.
“I think Dubois is stronger, but AJ is more explosive.”
Joshua vs Dubois press conference LIVE
Next up, it’ll be Joshua, Dubois, Eddie Hearn and Frank Warren taking to the stage.
What we’ve all been waiting for...
Joshua vs Dubois press conference LIVE
Hamzah Sheeraz and Tyler Denny will meet at middleweight, in Saturday’s chief-support bout.
Denny: “Listen, I’m not gonna badmouth him, he’s a great fighter – but so am I. I rate him, I think he’s a world-level fighter, but I believe in myself. My confidence is sky-high. I’ve been an underdog my whole career, but I keep winning.”
Sheeraz: “I like having these expectations of me, because I turn up, I show up, and I get the knockout. [Denny] has been beating whoever is in front of him, but at the end of the day, you’ve got to remember: I’m nothing like the last five fighters he’s upset.
“I am a very, very disciplined man, and I understand the mission of what I’ve set out to do.”
Joshua vs Dubois press conference LIVE
Joshua Buatsi and Willy Hutchinson will clash for the WBO interim light-heavyweight title on Saturday. The Britons got physical at a recent sit-down interview...
Hutchinson: “I’m just looking forward to knocking this fella out on Saturday night. I don’t know what happened to him, he was an emotional wreck. It’s probably the same thing that’s gonna happen to him on Saturday.”
Buatsi: “I don’t think I’m an emotional wreck. We’re a couple of days out from the fight, so there’s nothing that’s gonna happen to derail me. It wasn’t a big thing, let’s move on, man.
“I think about him what you think about him, what everyone thinks about him, we all think the same.”
Hutchinson: “I personally think I’m alright! I can be a nightmare sometimes, but I think I’m a nice guy. I shake everyone’s hand.”
These two are former sparring partners, and Hutchinson has repeatedly claimed (as he is right now) that he got the best of those sessions.
Joshua vs Dubois press conference LIVE
Josh Warrington was due to challenge Anthony Cacace for the IBF super-featherweight title, but only the IBO belt will be on the line this weekend – after the IBF refused to give the green light on a title fight.
Warrington, a former featherweight champion: “Listen, you’re not gonna get loads of screaming and shouting out of me, but one thing I can guarantee you is action. We might not shout or scream at each other, but don’t miss our fight: I guarantee it’ll be fight of the night.”
Cacace: “There’s no pressure. Josh is a two-time world champion, his career has been filled with success; I’m only getting success now. But I’m a big super-featherweight, and it’s gonna be a tough night for him. He’s too small for me, he’s gonna come onto shots. I’m not gonna have to go looking for him, he’s gonna come for a proper fight – and that’s exactly what I want him to do.”
Joshua vs Dubois press conference LIVE
Ishmael Davis steps in to face Josh Kelly, after Liam Smith was forced to withdraw due to injury.
Davis: “I’ve heard Josh Kelly’s interviews, he’s overlooking me. I’m the most progressive British boxer. Saturday night, you’re gonna be in there will hell, bro.
“I dare you to meet me in the middle of the ring. You can laugh, but you’re a pretty boy; you’re not cut like me.”
Kelly, who is indeed laughing, can barely get a word in edgeways.
Joshua vs Dubois press conference LIVE
Joshua and Dubois will take to the stage shortly; first up, it’s the undercard fighters.
Mark Chamberlain faces Josh Padley in a super-lightweight bout on Saturday.
Padley: “I back myself, and I definitely think I’m gonna be Mark’s hardest test to date.”
Chamberlain: “How do you claim you[rself] as my hardest test to date?”
Chamberlain laughs at his opponent. It’s all a bit awkward right now.
Padley: “He’s obviously going off what he’s seen of me, and there’s not much content out there.”
Chamberlain: “You’re in a proper fight, Saturday night. Make sure you bring your A-game.”
Joshua vs Dubois press conference LIVE
The pre-amble is out of the way, and it’s over to the promoters and fighters.
Joshua vs Dubois press conference LIVE: Joshua Buatsi interview
When Joshua Buatsi arrives at Wembley Stadium on Saturday, there will be no seeking out familiar faces – not even a face as familiar as Anthony Joshua’s.
And to Buatsi, Joshua’s face is even more familiar than it is to the average boxing fan. The two Joshuas have been good friends for years, and Saturday will mark the fourth time they have shared a fight card. In 2017 and 2018, Buatsi competed on the undercard of “AJ”’s victories over Carlos Takam and Joseph Parker, at Principality Stadium in Cardiff. In 2019, Buatsi was there at Madison Square Garden to do a job when Joshua, for the first time in his professional career, failed to do his own and lost to Andy Ruiz Jr.
And on Saturday, Buatsi will be there again, facing Willy Hutchinson at Wembley before Joshua headlines against Daniel Dubois, the reigning IBF heavyweight champion.
Still, there won’t be time for niceties. “We’re very much in our own lanes [on those days],” Buatsi tells The Independent. “I understand that he’s got something to do, I’ve got something to do. It’s not time to be chatting to each other – it’s not time to be talking to a lot of people, bro.”
Joshua Buatsi on friendship with Anthony Joshua: ‘Fight days aren’t for chatting’
Interview: On Saturday, Buatsi will share a card with his friend ‘AJ’ for the fourth time, boxing Willy Hutchinson for an interim title at Wembley
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments