Joseph Parker believes Oleksandr Usyk and Daniel Dubois won’t go the full twelve rounds when they square off this weekend.
Two years after this pair first fought, they are doing it all over again. Since that KO win for Usyk back in August 2023, the former four-belt cruiserweight ruler has beaten Tyson Fury to become the undisputed heavyweight champion, though he had to vacate the IBF belt for the rematch.
That meant Dubois picked up that title, his first world honours, after a fine run of stoppage wins against increasingly impressive opposition in Jarrell Miller, Filip Hrgovic and Anthony Joshua. He was set to continue the tough path with a defence against Parker in February, but had to pull out due to illness at the last minute.
Speaking to BoxNation, Parker explained that he thinks ‘DDD’ must win early if at all in the much-anticipated undisputed contest at Wembley Stadium, however backs the Ukrainian to get the stoppage late again.
“In the beginning I feel like Daniel’s chance of winning the fight is the first half of the fight. If he gets past the first half of the fight I feel Usyk will be too much for him in terms of fitness, movement, angles, you know, just the way he can break someone down. Ive seen that in the fights he’s had against the top heavyweights … I expect a Usyk stoppage, late rounds. It is a different Daniel Dubois, but also Usyk could be different himself.”
