Anthony Joshua gives Daniel Dubois a chance in his challenge against Oleksandr Usyk for the unified WBO, WBA and IBF heavyweight championships on Saturday; "It's a tough ask, of course," Joshua said but added: "We potentially might have the heavyweight championship back on our soil"
Friday 25 August 2023 16:51, UK
Daniel Dubois will challenge Oleksandr Usyk for the heavyweight titles Anthony Joshua used to hold this Saturday at the Tarczynski Arena in Wroclaw, Poland.
It will be Usyk's first bout since beating Joshua in their rematch last year, when he defended the WBO, WBA and IBF championships that he first won from the Briton in 2021.
As well as beating Joshua and becoming a unified champion at heavyweight, the Ukrainian has been an undisputed champion at cruiserweight, beating a constellation of the world's best fighters.
Britain's Dubois has not faced that level of opposition before. Joe Joyce stopped him in 2020 and Kevin Lerena gave him a brief scare in his last fight before Dubois rallied to halt the unheralded South African in three rounds.
In short he is a significant underdog in his fight with Usyk this weekend.
But Anthony Joshua, the former unified heavyweight champion, does give him a chance.
"Of course he has," Joshua told Sky Sports News. "It's a tough ask, of course.
"The thing with Usyk is. He doesn't depend on his power to knock you out. He depends on his skill. That's why it's a tough ask. Because he's going to box rings around you if you let him.
"Dubois, good luck, Don Charles [Dubois' new trainer] good luck, Great British boxing good luck. We potentially might have the heavyweight championship back on our soil."
Usyk will likely be inspired for this fight. With his country resisting Russia's invasion, Poland, with a large displaced population of Ukrainians, is the closest Usyk can get to a homecoming fight at the present time.
At the final press conference on Thursday, Ukraine's Independence Day, the soldiers fighting for his country were in Usyk's thoughts.
"I am grateful for my team, my family, my wife," he said, "my country and Ukrainian soldiers. Thank you so much."
As for the upcoming boxing contest, Usyk struck a relaxed tone. "My preparation is all good. We do a lot of work. We're swimming. We play football. We're dancing," he said.
Dubois similarly insisted: "I'm ready. I've suffered in training camp. I've done all of that. I'm ready now. I've prepared. I've left no stone unturned. I'm ready, I'm confident.
"I'm just ready to go now."
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