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
The press conference is due any time from now.
It’s taking place in the beautiful Guildhall Buildings in London.
Joshua vs Dubois press conference LIVE: Why one key coach could be missing
The absence of Daniel Dubois’ trainer during fight week of his huge clash with Anthony Joshua on Saturday night continues to create speculation of a rift within the camp.
However, Don Charles’s absence has been explained ahead of the Wembley showdown. George Fox, Charles’s son, has moved to crush rumours two days before Dubois puts his IBF world heavyweight belt on the line against his English rival.
Despite others’ claims, Charles is missing due to having a cold. “No secret, no ploy, no plan to unsettle anyone,” said Fox, reported by Sky Sports.
DAZN also noted that Charles hopes to be in attendance on Saturday and took the decision to stay away to protect the fighters and those involved with the major event.
While there’s no issue inside the camp, it’s not ideal preparation for Dubois to be without the man who is widely credited with improving his career.
More here:
Why Daniel Dubois might be without his trainer for Anthony Joshua fight
Don Charles’s absence has been explained ahead of Saturday’s Wembley showdown
Joshua vs Dubois press conference LIVE: Press conference expected shortly
The press conference is expected to begin at 5.30pm BST, so don’t go anywhere!
Joshua vs Dubois press conference LIVE: Undercard
Full card (subject to change; ‘C’ denotes champion)
Daniel Dubois (C) vs Anthony Joshua (IBF heavyweight title)
Tyler Denny (C) vs Hamzah Sheeraz (European middleweight title)
Anthony Cacace (C) vs Josh Warrington (super-featherweight)
Joshua Buatsi vs Willy Hutchinson (WBO interim light-heavyweight title)
Josh Kelly vs Ishmael Davis (middleweight)
Mark Chamberlain vs Josh Padley (lightweight)
Who is fighting on the Joshua vs Dubois undercard?
Anthony Joshua will challenge Daniel Dubois for the IBF heavyweight title, in an all-British clash at Wembley
Joshua vs Dubois press conference LIVE: What time does fight start?
The first fight is likely to begin at 6pm BST on Saturday (10am PT / 12pm CT / 1pm ET), with main-event ring walks expected at around 11pm BST (3pm PT / 5pm CT / 6pm ET).
What time does Joshua vs Dubois start in UK and US?
Anthony Joshua will challenge Daniel Dubois for the IBF heavyweight title, in an all-British clash at Wembley
Joshua vs Dubois press conference LIVE: How to watch fight
The fight will air live on DAZN worldwide, including in the UK and US. The pay-per-view is priced at £19.99, and you can purchase a subscription to DAZN here, with plans starting at £14.99 a month.
New subscribers who buy the pay-per-view and sign up to a Monthly Flex Offer will receive a seven-day free trial; those who choose the Instalment Offer will get one month free; and those picking the Annual Offer will receive a 15 per cent discount.
DAZN has apps available for all of the following platforms: Apple TV, Chromecast, Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Fire Stick, Amazon Fire Tablet, Android Phone & Tablet, iPhone & iPad, Android TV, LG, Smart TV, Panasonic Smart TV, Samsung Smart TV, Sony Smart TV, SmartCast, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 and Roku.
In the UK, Joshua vs Dubois will also air live on Sky Sports Box Office for £19.95, and on TNT Sports Box Office for £19.99. The TNT pay-per-view can be watched on discovery+, EE TV and Prime Video.
How to watch Joshua vs Dubois online and on TV
Anthony Joshua will challenge Daniel Dubois for the IBF heavyweight title, in an all-British clash at Wembley
Joshua vs Dubois press conference LIVE: ‘His head will fall off'
Eddie Hearn has predicted that the pressure of a fight with Anthony Joshua will be too much for Daniel Dubois, and that the younger fighter’s “head will fall off” at Wembley.
Joshua’s promoter believes the occasion may get to Dubois, 27, as he faces 34-year-old “AJ”, a fighter with plenty of stadium experience.
“Dubois, I think his head will fall off on Saturday,” Hearn told reporters on Monday (16 September). “But that could make him more dangerous!
“I’m not sure he’ll be able to execute his specific gameplan, I think he could come out like a bull again – which is dangerous, and might be his best chance, but he might get bumped!”
More from Hearn here:
Eddie Hearn: Dubois’ ‘head will fall off’ from pressure of Joshua fight
Interview: Joshua’s promoter also compared Dubois’s power to that of AJ’s previous opponents
Joshua vs Dubois press conference LIVE: AJ ‘willing to die’ in Saturday’s fight
Anthony Joshua has insisted that he is “willing to die” against Daniel Dubois on Saturday, as the Britons clash at Wembley Stadium.
Joshua, 34, will challenge Dubois for the IBF heavyweight title, after Dubois, 27, was elevated from interim champion when Oleksandr Usyk vacated the official belt.
For Joshua, the main-event contest represents a chance to become a three-time world champion, and “AJ” is adamant that he will leave everything in the ring to achieve that goal.
“This is the thing with fighting: it takes more than being strong to be a champion and a good fighter,” Joshua told reporters on Monday (16 September). “It’s good, but I truly believe from what I’ve read and studied – and from what great people who have come before me have said – it takes more than being a physical specimen to be a fighter.
“It’s a good attribute, but when you come across someone who’s willing to take that from you, and you’re giving them your best shot and they’re taking it, that’s when you figure out what it takes to be a champion. I’ve been there, I’ve been to the well. [Dubois] is fighting someone that’s willing to die in there, that wants to give everything to be victorious.”
Full interview:
Anthony Joshua: ‘I’m willing to die’ against Daniel Dubois
Interview: Joshua will challenge his fellow Briton at Wembley on Saturday, in a bid to become a three-time world heavyweight champion
Joshua vs Dubois press conference LIVE: What happened behind the scenes last time?
Today’s press conference is the second between Joshua and Dubois, who also shared a stage in June.
On the day of their first press conference, Joshua and Dubois also conducted a joint interview, in which AJ threatened to “put a chair across” his opponent’s “f***ing face”.
More on that here...
Anthony Joshua threatens to ‘put chair’ across Daniel Dubois’ face in tense moment
The opponents were restrained after things got heated during a sit-down interview with their promoters
Joshua vs Dubois press conference LIVE: Saudi boxing revolution continues... at Wembley, of all places
It has cost a billion dollars, taken just 11 months, and this Saturday in front of 96,000, the boxing revolution will continue at Wembley Stadium.
Last October, a boxing ring appeared from a depth of 26ft inside a black hole in the middle of the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, the Saudi Arabian capital: the new capital of boxing. The ring was for Tyson Fury and Francis Ngannou; the best two men in their respective sports, boxing and mixed martial arts. It was the launch of the boxing revolution.
Earlier that night, outside the giant building, six other fights took place, including a British title fight. It was the start, and two months later – in the shadow of Christmas – it was Anthony Joshua’s turn to fight in the same ring. On that night, as many as five of the eight bouts would have been main events on any given Saturday night in the UK.
This Saturday, Joshua attempts to join an elite club and win the heavyweight championship for the third time, when he fights Daniel Dubois for the IBF heavyweight title at Wembley Stadium; there are five planned fights on the undercard, and three are legitimate main-event attractions. A fight fell out of bed a few days ago, one that would have also been a main event on any other night.
Steve Bunce looks at the Saudis’ role in Joshua vs Dubois:
Saudi Arabia’s boxing revolution continues... at Wembley, of all places
The Saudis have made many long-awaited fights over the last year. Now they visit London, giving fans an all-British fight in Anthony Joshua vs Daniel Dubois
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