‘He’s strong but we were close’ – Daniel Dubois’ sparring partner shares surprising prediction for Anthony Joshua fight
Daniel Dubois’ sparring partner has backed against him in his fight with Anthony Joshua.
Dubois was crowned IBF heavyweight world champion after Oleksandr Usyk vacated the belt, and he will make a first defence of it against Joshua on September 21 at Wembley Stadium.
Anthony Joshua is considered the marginal favourite given his experience and recent form under the stewardship of new coach Ben Davison.
And Guido Vianello, who has sparred Dubois in the past, surprisingly believes Joshua will win having shared some ‘close’ rounds with the 26-year-old.
He told Boxing Social: “I sparred with Daniel in the training camp before my Efe Ajagba fight [back in April], he is a very strong and dangerous boxer, but we were very close in every session.
“So, I was very happy to spar with him, he is very dangerous. But Joshua is back and he is back in the best shape [of his career] I think.
“I know Francis Ngannou too and we are good friends, Ngannou is very dangerous in the ring. We could see this when he fought Tyson Fury, we saw a tough Francis Ngannou.
“Then, with Joshua, everything was better for him [Joshua]. He was fought 12 rounds many times, Joshua knows what to do in the ring and versus Francis, Joshua was perfect.
“I saw Joshua then and I said that he looks very different, he looks much better than in the past. With Dubois it is a very close fight and I think that Joshua, with his experience, maybe he can win.”
Dubois has made a remarkable charge to the title given he was handed a brutal beating by Joe Joyce in his first career defeat in 2020.
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Questions were raised as to whether he will be able to withstand Joshua’s power, after he was hit regularly by the Croatian in a real barnstormer.
But ‘DDD’ insists he will pose significant problems to the leading heavyweight given his power.
He said: “I won’t take them shots. Hrgovic is completely different to AJ, the way that he throws his shots is smooth, he is light and he is quick, he doesn’t load up or anything.
“It took me a while to get the hang of it but I found a way to deal with it.
“If you look at the fight properly, I was slipping, just subtly sometimes, doing what I had to do to win.
“That is what I am going to have to do again, break Joshua up, break down what is in front of me and get the victory by any means necessary.
“Could he [Joshua] take them shots that Hrgovic was throwing? Everyone has got an opinion. Let them get on with it.
“Now it is time to do the work and see what they [the naysayers] say after this one. I will win by any means necessary, but a stoppage is definitely what I am after.
“Good stoppage and a statement victory, that’s what I’m all about.”
The winner of the event sees a potential undisputed showdown with the victor in Oleksandr Usyk’s rematch with Tyson Fury which is set to take place on December 21.
