Daniel Dubois legitimised his world championship stint with a destructive win over Anthony Joshua.
Previously elevated to full IBF champion when Oleksandr Usyk vacated the belt, the 27-year-old stepped through the ropes against ‘AJ’ an underdog. He flipped that script immediately, bullying the more experienced man around the ring and knocking him down three times on the way to an eventual fifth round stoppage.
Where Dubois goes next remains to be seen, and there are plenty contenders who will fancy a crack at the belt.
Speaking to Instant Casino, former cruiserweight world champion Tony Bellew said if ‘AJ’ bypasses the opportunity of a second fight in-form Joseph Parker deserves it more than anyone.
“As for his next step forward, if Anthony Joshua doesn’t take an immediate rematch, I think there’s only one person in the world of boxing who deserves that shot at Daniel Dubois, and I think that’s Joseph Parker.
Nobody in the heavyweight division has taken the people on that Joseph Parker has, nobody. Joseph Parker has faced two bogeymen who no one wants to go near back-to-back. He fought Deontay Wilder and literally beat him up. And then he went in with Zhilei Zhang against all the doubters. Listen, I thought he’d lose twice. I told him that, I was working with him on Saturday.”
Parker, under the tutelage of Andy Lee, has bounced back from a loss to Joe Joyce with top wins over hard-hitters Deontay Wilder and Zhilei Zhang. The former world champion is keen to make that two-time, but may first have to fulfil a rematch of his own against China’s Zhang.
