The heavyweight division in boxing isn't always the most exciting, but when the bright lights shine on a big fight, few can compare, and on Saturday there's a bout scheduled that's not just going to be a big one, but one that may be one of the most fascinating fights of the year in the entire boxing world.
Anthony Joshua will face Daniel Dubois in a 12-round showdown at Wembley Stadium in London. At 34, “AJ” is looking to return to the top, while Dubois faces a 27-year-old who is willing to take risks and make a name for himself in a big way.
Joshua (28-3, 25 KOs) has been one of boxing's biggest drawing powerhouses since turning professional in late 2013, just over a year after winning Olympic gold in his hometown of London. Though he's had some setbacks in his career, including a shocking upset loss to Andy Ruiz Jr. in 2019 and two losses to Oleksandr Usyk between 2021 and 2022, he's largely lived up to early expectations, winning world titles and filling arenas and stadiums at every fight.
Joshua has spent the last few years searching for his sense of self in the ring, and after a narrow win over Jermaine Franklin and stoppage wins over Robert Helenius and Otto Wallin, the veteran has begun to recapture the aggression and ferocity that once made him so fearsome.
This March, Joshua faced former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou in a highly hyped bout in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Ngannou had fought Tyson Fury to 10 rounds the previous year in the mixed martial arts star's professional boxing debut, but Joshua overpowered Ngannou in the second round and showed no desire to “carry” the fight on for longer than necessary to make it “interesting.” Joshua showed little respect for Ngannou as an opponent and did what any top professional boxer would do when fighting a non-boxer in a boxing match.
The win may not mean much, but it gives Joshua momentum going into a tougher fight, as Dubois (21-2, 20 KOs) can punch, he can box, he can get better, he can learn from his mistakes and he has proven he can bounce back from defeat.
Dubois withdrew from his bout against Joe Joyce in late 2020 due to a fractured orbital bone, suffering his first defeat in an empty arena. In a truly tough sport like boxing, such things are always heavily criticized and Dubois's feelings and motivation were questioned. However, after being knocked down three times by Kevin Lerena in late 2022, Dubois stormed back to win. After a fairly controversial loss to the aforementioned Usyk in 2023, Dubois returned better than ever, stopping Filip Hrgovic in the eighth round in June.
Dubois and his team have shown a willingness to take on challenges that younger fighters often shy away from, and while a fighter may lose when given a real challenge, Dubois' continued desire to face top fighters shows he has the mentality of a true fighter.
This is classic boxing matchmaking, two guys capable of doing damage at different points in their careers. Does Joshua still have it, or has his bounce back been due to poor matchmaking over his last four fights? Can Dubois improve from his performance against Hrgovic a few months ago and re-establish himself in the top heavyweight division?
The stakes are high for both fighters. If Joshua loses, people will ask him, fairly or not, to consider ending his career in the ring. If Dubois loses, many will question whether he simply isn't good enough to be in the division's elite. Meanwhile, the winner will likely ask to fight the winner of the Usyk-Fury rematch in December, possibly in 2025.
Big stadiums, big money, big stakes and big-name players competing. The lights couldn't be brighter.
