Daniel Dubois will defend his IBF World Heavyweight Title against former champion Joseph Parker on February 22.
It is an intriguing match-up between two men who very much deserve to be at the top, beltholder Dubois after his recent wins over Filip Hrgovic and Anthony Joshua against challenger Parker, who has just beaten Deontay Wilder and Zhilei Zhang.
Former super-middleweight world champion and Hall of Fame fighter Carl Froch has talked up both men on his YouTube channel now that the fight is official.
“[Parker] is an ex-world champion, he’s been in there with the best of the best. I just think that he’s got a really strong chance in causing an upset. And I think it would be an upset if Daniel Dubois – the young big puncher with the great jab who just absolutely f***ing ironed out Anthony Joshua – if he loses to Parker it’s an upset, but you can see it happening. You can make a case for Parker.”
Froch makes Dubois a favourite in the fight and is backing a knockout, though can see Parker’s path to victory.
“If I’m Dubois’ corner, I’m saying to Daniel get behind your lovely jab for two or three rounds. Get past three, four rounds behind your jab … then he can get on his front foot and start taking it to Parker, start trying to break him down. I can see a stoppage, I can see Daniel Dubois getting the stoppage against Parker.
Parker’s only chance, for me, because he’s not a big puncher, he boxes well, but if he works around the ring, slips and slides, he could win this fight on points.”
