Teddy Atlas says IBF heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois can win his title defense against the more experienced but older Anthony Joshua if he believes it’s his “destiny” on Saturday night in London.
Joshua (28-3, 25 KOs) looked nervous during Thuraday’s final press conference. You could tell he was trying his best to put on a false front to look brave, but his acting skills couldn’t disguise his fear.
Joshua knows this is the best fighter he’s ever faced during his 11-year professional career, and it’s come at the worst time for him. He’s about to turn 35 in October, and he needs this win to go into his fight with Tyson Fury on a positive note.
The last four weak opponents that Joshua has fought haven’t prepared him for this moment to fight a tough, younger fighter like Dubois. AJ’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, was trying to help him stay on top, but his good intentions may backfire for this fight because he’s been stunted.
“What is stronger? A great right hand by a two-time heavyweight champ and an Olympic gold medalist of Joshua [or the self-belief of Dubois]. That’s what this fight comes down to,” said Teddy Atlas to Boxing King Media about the fight between Daniel Dubois and Anthony Joshua.
Joshua has looked no different in his recent fights since Ben Davison took over as his coach than he did earlier. Promoter Eddie Hearn moved Joshua against lesser fighters to rebuild his confidence, and he stuck with it for four fights instead of just one or two.
Hearn’s decision to have Joshua take four confidence-builders suggests that he had worries. Promoters don’t do that with fighters unless they have deep concerns. He had some serious worries, and he should have after the way Joshua mentally fell apart against Oleksandr Usyk in their rematch in 2022.
“If he [Dubois] gets hit with right hands like he did against Hrgovic, he’s going to need that will 2.0,” said Atlas. “He’s going to need that and show the world that will is stronger than skill. That will is stronger than a great right hand. That’s how he wins the fight.”
Dubois hasn’t been hit with anyone that has Joshua’s power, but it might not matter. He seems to want to win this fight, and is believing in himself after his string of impressive performances.
“Hopefully, he’s improved in camp, and his defense has gotten better,” said Atlas. “But what it’s really going to come down to is the will of him against the skill of Joshua. If he has it in his head that it’s his [Dubois] destiny to win this fight. If Dubois believes that it’s his destiny to win this fight, that’s as dangerous as any punch in the book.”
Joshua, 34, doesn’t possess the youth or the stamina to get in a war with Dubois on Saturday night. His best bet for winning is if Dubois fights tentatively, trying to box and not pushing a fast pace. If Dubois fights like Joshua’s last four opponents, fighting at a slow pace, AJ can win by setting him up for a big shot.
“Dubois’ improvements have been on the mental side where he doesn’t beat himself no more and give in. His improvement is he believes in himself. That’s his improvement. Joshua has been looking great. With Joshua, it’s his technique. It’s in a good place,” said Atas.
Joshua has looked good, but these are the tomato cans that he’s looked good against:
– Francis Ngannou
– Otto Wallin
– Robert Helenius
– Jermaine Franklin
Franklin is the only one of the four who is a true contender. When Hearn picked him, he was a bottom fringe-level fighter coming off a loss to Dillian Whyte.
“Dubois’ improvements haven’t been in the technical sense. His improvement is he can behave like a fighter when the moment comes. The power of a Hrgovic right hand vs. the power of a Joshua right hand they’re not in the same ballpark. Joshua’s right hand is much more dangerous,” said Atlas.
Even if Dubois does get hit by Joshua after frequently as he did against Hrgovic, he can still win if he can handle the power. If Joshua can’t knock Dubois out within three or four rounds, he’s going to be exhausted, and he’ll crumble from the hard punches he’s getting hit with.
Hrgovic took a lot of heavy shots in the early rounds from Dubois, and even though he landed a lot of good punches, he was getting worn down. Joshua can’t take Hrgovic’s punches from Dubois without getting stopped early in the contest, perhaps as soon as the third.
