Anthony Joshua returns to Wembley Stadium this September to face Daniel Dubois.
The Olympic Gold Medalist is looking to become a three-time champion against recently-elevated Dubois, and will enter the ring a strong favourite to do so.
Speaking to Prime Casino, British Hall of Famer Ricky Hatton first addressed the stories that Dubois put Joshua down in sparring – something the former champ denies but does concede to being ‘cracked by a good shot.’
“It’s all a mind game, you’d have to have been there at the time to see how heavy the knockdown was. It could have been a slip or it could have been a full-blown knockdown and he was shaken up. If it was that, I think it would leave a little bit of a mark, definitely. But we’ve all been put down in sparring, we’ve all been shook up a bit. That’s part and parcel boxing but it might leave a mark.
If it was me then I would think ‘I’m going to get my own back on you’. That’s my attitude. There will be some people who will be thinking s*** this guy knocked me down before, but I don’t think AJ falls into that bracket. He’s an Olympic gold medalist and he’s been a unified world champion. I don’t think a knockdown would have damaged him too much.”
As for a prediction, ‘Hitman’ Hatton backs the more-experienced Joshua to get the job done early.
“I think AJ beats Daniel, he’s bigger than Daniel for a start and that’s saying something because Daniel is a beast of a fighter. But AJ’s got his confidence back now. You can also say that about Daniel after his last couple of fights.
It’s the perfect time for this fight, both of them are in great form, I think AJ’s got a little bit more in his armoury, he’s got a little bit more boxing ability and he seems to be much more looser under Ben Davison, he’s throwing his punches with a lot more snap these days.
Having said that, Daniel only needs one punch. It’s one of those fights where if Daniel landed and knocked AJ out it wouldn’t surprise me, but Joshua could outbox Daniel early and then knock him out and I think that’s where my money would go.”
