Daniel Dubois faces Fabio Wardley in an all-British showdown next week, and now his former coach Shane McGuigan has broken down how the fight must go if he is to win.
Dubois is the former IBF champion who was elevated after KO wins over Jarrell Miller and Filip Hrgovic. He made his first defence of it against Anthony Joshua back in September 2024 and stopped him inside five rounds, only to lose the belt a year later to Oleksandr Usyk.
He now takes on Wardley, who was himself elevated to champion after stopping Justis Huni and Joseph Parker last year.
Speaking to Sky Sports Boxing, McGuigan outlined the type of fight it needs to be for Dubois to excel.
“I think it benefits Fabio Wardley if they’re having a shoot-out. I could be sat right in front of Daniel and tell him to box his ears off, and just use his jab because Daniel has great fundamentals. He’s got the feet, he’s got great balance, he’s an amazing athlete.
“He’s got a phenomenal jab. His jab is more powerful than his right hand, effectively. Honestly its ridiculous, its like a horse kicking you every time you take him on the pads, but he will not listen. You’ve got to use your jab, use your feet, go to him, make it boring. That’s exactly what it is. That’s the truth.
“The biggest problem with his fight is Daniel’s mindset. If he can get it into his head that he has to make it, not boring, but win it on the jab, he can make it very comfortable. But he will not, and he will go straight for him and that will mean he’ll either knock him out, or get knocked out.”
Dubois had spent some time in the gym with Tony Sims following his second loss to Usyk last summer, but he then reverted to another former trainer, Don Charles, ahead of this fight with Wardley.
