Daniel Dubois is now a heavyweight with a target on his back.
The 27-year-old Brit has climbed his way to the top of the division after an up-and-down start to his career.
After a run of early knockouts, he came unstuck in a grudge match with Joe Joyce. ‘The Juggernaut’ landed a succession of heavy jabs on Dubois’s right eye to the point that he eventually had to take a knee and allow himself to be counted out.
While he was in survival mode to protect what transpired to be a broken orbital bone, many believed he had shown a lack of heart and desire.
Dubois has since silenced all those doubters by coming through tough moments against big American contender Jarell Miller to win by KO. He then repeated the trick against Fillip Hrgovic in June 2024, after which he was elevated to IBF champion.
Back in September, he stopped Anthony Joshua inside five rounds to retain that belt and this weekend he heads into a second defence against Joseph Parker in Saudi Arabia.
In the meantime, Martin Bakole, who calls himself the ‘monster’ of the heavyweight division, has told iFL TV he knocked out ‘DDD’ during sparring.
“I broke his nose twice and stopped him. That’s no lie, he will never come and say I am lying..
I’m disappointed [Joshua] has been knocked out by someone I knocked out twice in the gym.”
Bakole beat much-hyped American Jared Anderson by knockout last time out, and is desperate for a shot at a world title. His next fight against Efe Agagbe is a final eliminator for the IBF title currently held by Dubois, so come through that and he could meet the Brit in the ring later in the year.
