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By Peter Akinbo
Anthony Joshua stands on the precipice of boxing immortality against IBF heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois on Saturday night before a capacity crowd at Wembley Stadium, with the fight offering him a golden opportunity to etch his name in record books alongside other sports’s legends.
Victory for the British-Nigerian pugilist would see him join an elite triumvirate of three-time world heavyweight champions—Muhammad Ali, Evander Holyfield, and Lennox Lewis—a prospect that has set the boxing world abuzz with anticipation.
“A blessing to be back at Wembley to prove I’m in supreme condition mentally and physically. I will win by breaking him down,” Joshua said.
Indeed, since his back-to-back losses to Oleksandr Usyk in 2021 and 2022, Joshua has undergone a remarkable resurgence. His last three outings have seen him morph into a veritable knockout machine, with each contest ending via stoppage. The most recent of these, a ruthless dismantling of former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou, served as a stark reminder of Joshua’s devastating power.
Under the astute guidance of trainer Ben Davison, Joshua has rekindled the fire that once made him the most feared heavyweight on the planet. His systematic destruction of Otto Wallin, followed by the highlight-reel knockout of Ngannou, has reignited belief in his ability to reclaim his throne atop the heavyweight division.
However, standing in Joshua’s path to glory is the formidable figure of Dubois. The 27-year-old Londoner, who now holds the IBF strap, has silenced his doubters with a series of impressive performances. His recent victories over Jarrell Miller and Filip Hrgovic in Saudi Arabia have transformed him from a promising prospect into a legitimate world-class operator.
“Let’s go. I can’t wait to complete the resurrection of my career by making history. Be it points or knockout, I will do what it takes to beat him,” Dubois asserted, his words dripping with determination.
The all-British showdown promises fireworks, with both men known for their penchant for toe-to-toe warfare. Wembley Stadium, the scene of some of Joshua’s most memorable triumphs, provides a fitting arena for this potential classic.
As the boxing world debates the likely outcome, opinions are sharply divided. Chris Eubank Jr., the middleweight contender, has thrown his weight behind Joshua. “If Joshua goes into a fight with the right mindset, then he has the skills to beat anybody in the world, and I would always back my guy against Fury,” he stated, alluding to a potential future clash with Tyson Fury.
Eubank Jr.’s confidence in Joshua stems from the latter’s renewed activity in the ring, saying, “Joshua has been busy with three fights last year, and Dubois will be his second of 2024. Activity is so important to becoming a better fighter.”
However, not everyone is convinced of Joshua’s superiority. Chinese heavyweight Zhilei Zhang, fresh off his own impressive run, believes Dubois has what it takes to spring an upset.
“I personally favour Daniel Dubois to pull this off because he’s on a surge. He’s young, he’s hungry, he has the fire in him,” Zhang said.
The build-up to the fight has been fuelled by whispers of a past sparring session between the two combatants. Rumours have long circulated that a teenage Dubois once had Joshua in trouble during a gym encounter. Joshua, however, has been quick to dismiss such talk.
“He just cracked me with a good shot. I stood on my feet. I don’t know where this whole narrative of someone turning my lights off came from,” Joshua said.
For his part, Dubois has vowed to turn rumour into reality come fight night. “I aim to knock him out,” he declared boldly. “That’s the programme. That’s the mindset; that’s the intention coming into this fight.”
As the clock ticks down to the opening bell, both men find themselves in rich veins of form. Joshua’s quartet of consecutive victories has rejuvenated his career, while Dubois has bounced back from disappointment against Oleksandr Usyk with two emphatic stoppage wins.
The magnitude of the occasion is not lost on Joshua. “It’s going to be a tough night’s work for sure,” he admitted.
With 96,000 fans set to create an electric atmosphere at Wembley, the stage is set for a memorable night of boxing. Joshua’s quest for a slice of history collides with Dubois’ burning ambition, creating a combustible mix that threatens to explode into one of the fights of the year.