Anthony Joshua vs Daniel Dubois: Why victory is crucial for both fighters

As the iconic Wembley Stadium in London prepares to host an electrifying, all-British showdown between Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois, the stakes couldn’t be higher.

Both men find themselves at pivotal junctures in their careers, with the vacant IBF world heavyweight title on the line for the fellow Londoners. 

For Joshua, this bout represents a crucial opportunity to reclaim the glory he once held, following a challenging period marked by setbacks against Oleksandr Usyk. 

Meanwhile, for the younger and hungry Dubois, victory would propel him into the upper echelons of boxing’s Blue Riband division, establishing him as a bona fide champion.  

With everything to gain and much to lose, this all-British clash is set to define the trajectory of both fighters’ careers. 

Anthony Joshua – Last Chance Saloon 

For ‘AJ’, this matchup against Dubois is almost certainly his last crack at becoming a three-time heavyweight champion. 

Many questioned whether Joshua would ever get another shot at a world title following his defeats to Usyk, but the opportunity has presented itself after some tough graft and a bit of luck. 

The Ukrainian vacated the IBF belt in June, with Dubois beating Filip Hrgovic to become interim champion. 

Joshua’s opportunity is now or never, as he’s now 34 and surely can’t bounce back from another setback. 

The good news for AJ is that he’s the overwhelming favourite to win the fight in the Joshua vs Dubois odds, priced at a huge 1/6. 

It’s a case of last chance saloon for Joshua. His entire career and perhaps even part of his legacy is on the line against Dubois, never mind the opportunity to become a three-time world champion. 

Daniel Dubois – The chance to secure elite status

There was much hype surrounding Dubois’s decision to turn professional and sign with Frank Warren’s esteemed Queensberry Promotions instead of representing Great Britain at the 2020 Olympics. 

However, ‘DDD’ arguably hasn’t lived up to the excitement that surrounded him four years ago. The defeat to Joe Joyce perhaps knocked him back at such an early stage of his career, but he has rebuilt his reputation, and a victory over Joshua would see his stock skyrocket once again. 

Usyk is perhaps the only ‘elite’ fighter Dubois has faced to this point, and despite that fight ending in a late knockout defeat, he made a good account of himself and was debatably hard done by after flooring the Ukrainian with a body shot that the referee controversially deemed a low blow. 

If you’re looking for a bet on boxing, you will understandably be wary of backing Dubois against the more experienced Joshua. But the 26-year-old will be hungry and desperate to succeed going into this bout, and his raw power could put AJ under immense pressure.

While Dubois is still young and will likely have more opportunities to fight for world titles later on, this is a massive chance for him to become a fully-fledged world heavyweight champion, and you do not want to pass up openings like this.