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Power, poise and precision: where Anthony Joshua vs. Daniel Dubois can be won or lost

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THE ELEMENT of surprise has faded somewhat with the announcement that Anthony Joshua will face Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium on September 21.

In a way, Wednesday’s press conference merely confirmed what everyone already suspected – that the pair would headline the season’s event in Riyad, in which Dubois will fight for the IBF world heavyweight title (which was quickly upgraded from interim to full-time just in time).

However, apart from the initial trifle, this is a chance for Joshua to take revenge on his domestic rival, who claims that he forced the 34-year-old to sparring.

The rumor spread like wildfire in 2017 when Frank Warren signed Dubois, who was only 18 at the time.

It’s clear that a lot has changed since then, with both Brits showing clear signs of improvement in recent performances.

What’s more, the stakes are extremely high for their summer sizzler, as the winner will be next in line for an uncontested showdown.

Until the IBF reorganization, all four belts were held by Oleksandr Usyk after his sensational victory over Tyson Fury last month.

However, with a rematch scheduled for later this year, there could be a British heavyweight title fight that we can’t wait to see.

But first, before we get too far ahead of ourselves, let’s take a look at the keys to victory for Joshua and Dubois, who are both trying to dispel any doubt that they are the rightful challenger to Usyk’s crown.

Anthony Joshua’s keys to victory

Control your range with your jab

Since teaming up with trainer Ben Davison, Joshua has developed a more authoritative jab, which he uses to elevate his booming right hand. Against Dubois, he will no doubt look to employ this weapon from the first round, avoiding mid- and short-range exchanges – that is, until he finds his rhythm on the outside.

By throwing straight punches, Joshua has greater control over the distance from which he attacks. Changing the range when it suits him will make Dubois wonder if he’s out of range, giving Joshua plenty of opportunities to get inside where he can land hooks and hooks.

Anthony Joshua talks to his head coach Ben Davison during media training ahead of his match against Otto Wallin on December 23 in Riyad (Photo: Richard Pelham/Getty Images)

Take advantage of his footwork

Another aspect of Joshua’s game that has made him a more complete fighter is his footwork. His extraordinary mobility could be seen in the fight against Otto Wallin last December, when, before winning by knockout in the fifth round, the two-time world heavyweight champion created opportunities not only to land punches, but also to get out of the pocket.

With Dubois sometimes showing less motivation to move his feet out of reach – a weakness that Usyk exposed in the ninth round of competition last year – Joshua will likely be given plenty of opportunities to pivot around a more inert opponent, moving from left to right while launching painful counterattacks.

Take the center of the ring

Spatial awareness should always be a key part of any player’s game plan, but for Joshua it is absolutely crucial to his style. Knowing that he can take a few steps back without being pinned against the ropes will ultimately instill confidence in his tactics.

For his jab and footwork to be effective, Joshua needs time, but more importantly, space to set traps for his opponent. Otherwise, if he is forced to move onto his back foot – with significantly confined movement in the ring – then any physical advantage over Dubois could very well be just a statistic on paper.

Keys to victory by Daniel Dubois

Disrupt Joshua’s rhythm

Meeting a more experienced operator who has added some recent strings to his bow is never an straightforward task. For Dubois to gain a foothold in this fight, he must unleash his explosive waves during periods of perceived inactivity, preventing Joshua from establishing flow.

There are often telltale signs that a fighter is about to fire; they will reveal some kind of specific behavior – for example, blowing their nose or tapping their shorts – before engaging in an exchange. If he can identify Joshua’s characteristics, Dubois will be able to exploit them by timing his attacks accordingly.

Be the first to attack

By being the first to strike, Dubois will avoid falling victim to Joshua’s traps. The former “regular” WBA champion was aware of this in his last fight against Filip Hrgovic, whom he managed to land cleanly while leading with various shots.

However, against Joshua, someone with a higher boxing IQ, Dubois will have to be more moderate in his approach. When implementing his tactics, it is critical that he makes plenty of feints so that once he has taken the lead from Joshua, he can then respond with more effective counters.

Maintain his mental determination

After being considered a quitter in 2020 following a tenth-round loss to Joe Joyce, Dubois has proven that he can indeed dig deep in a fight. In his last two appearances – against Jarrell Miller and Hrgovic – he showed an unwavering winning mentality, surviving several tough moments before finishing emphatically on both occasions.

It was here that Don Charles and Kieran Farrell – his newly formed training team – made the most noticeable difference. Providing clear instructions and, if necessary, a polite kick in the backside, Dubois’ corner will play a key role in the clash with Joshua, who, judging by his recent performances, may be looking to finish the fight the distance.

Daniel Dubois breaks the will of Jarrell Miller during their heavyweight fight at the Kingdom Arena on December 23, 2023 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (Richard Pelham/Getty Images)

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Ryan Garcia: ‘I would give Terence Crawford his biggest payday’

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Image: Ryan Garcia: "I would Give Terence Crawford His Biggest Payday"

Ryan Garcia says he would give Terence Crawford the “biggest payday of his life” if he agreed to fight him. The recently 37-year-old Crawford (41-0, 31 KO) probably won’t take him up on his offer because he’s obsessed with getting a mega-fight with Canelo Alvarez before he retires, and that doesn’t look like it’s going to happen.

(Source: Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing)

If Ryan was stern about wanting to fight Crawford, he would be crazy to turn down the fight. He won’t get a fight with Canelo in a million years and there is no one at 147, 154, 160 or 168 that can command a payday like Ryan.

Garcia (24-1, 20 KO) may have been pulling Crawford’s chin, telling fans he would like to fight him because he is currently unable to fight anyone. Today on social media, Ryan mentioned that he wants to play some exhibition matches in Japan, but that would probably not involve Crawford.

Ryan, 26, says he finds Crawford dull, and that’s true. Crawford is dull to watch because he’s a boxer. The guys he knocked out were either aged, damaged by car accidents, or weren’t that good to begin with.

“As for Bud Crawford, I already called him out. I think he’s just trying to fight Canelo Alvarez. That’s why I don’t think it’s going to happen,” Ryan Garcia continued social mediatalking about wanting to fight Terence Crawford.

“I would like to fight Bud Crawford. I don’t think he’s as good as people say. I say it publicly and I say it live now. If Bud is listening to me, I would love to fight you. I feel like I would literally blow you away.

Crawford would have to be extremely spoiled to turn down such an offer to fight Ryan because he won’t get anything better.

“You’re a good fighter, but I don’t think you’ve ever beaten anyone with your talent, explosiveness, and strength. I think you could have beaten Shawn Porter. He is a great fighter, but quite basic. Errol Spence Jr. had an accident. I don’t think he’s that good,” Garcia said.

“Have you fought someone who knocked you out in one punch? NO. So I think Bud Crawford is overrated. You can have your own opinion on this matter. That’s how I feel. I’m a boxer. I don’t care. I will fight him and I will defeat him [stuffing] out of him. I feel like this is it. Empty word and period,” Garcia said.

The left hook that Ryan Garcia throws would certainly knock out Crawford if it landed on the button. Crawford was badly hurt by former featherweight champion Yuriorkis Gamboa many years ago, and if he was injured then, Ryan could hurt him just as much now. Crawford took a lot of demanding shots from Israil Madrimov in the August 3 fight, which couldn’t have been good for him.

“I would actually fight him. There is a difference. I would actually fight him. You could actually see Ryan Garcia in the ring with Bud Crawford. I can’t speak for the other players. I don’t know if Tank would fight Bud Crawford, but I know he would. I would fight Bud Crawford with pride, I’ll go in there and give it my all,” Garcia said.

A fight between Ryan and Crawford would have a lot of benefits, but only for Kingry’s sake. Crawford will come to the fight. It may not matter whether Turki Alalshikh is paying Crawford, but the PPV numbers wouldn’t be on par with the Garcia vs. Gervonta Davis fight.

“If he doesn’t want it, it’s not my fault. If he doesn’t think it fits, it’s not my fault. He is not a draw. He brings nothing to the table. He’s dull as hell, but I’d probably give him the biggest payday of his life if he took the fight,” Ryan said.

If His Excellency Turki Alalshikh is interested in paying Crawford tons of money to fight an unpopular 154-pounder, he will likely do so. He won’t agree to fight anyone not named Canelo unless Turki pays him handsomely.

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Devin Haney’s Lawsuit Against Ryan Garcia ‘Deadly Full of Holes’

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Ryan Garcia and Devin Haney

Devin Haney’s plan to sue Ryan Garcia for millions of dollars has a fatal flaw as the boxer’s reputation takes another beating on social media.

“The Dream” initiated legal action against Garcia, even though his only loss was ruled a no-contest. The WBC super lightweight champion wants monetary compensation for being beaten by the Golden Boy star.

Haney’s father, Bill, told the world that “Suits are part of business. Welcome to boxing and the Devin Haney era. Many fans responded that the action was extreme, even though Garcia failed drug tests.

Many believe that a year’s punishment and stripping of the victory is enough, but the Haneys do not. However, there is a consensus that the pursuit of extra cash is “deadly flawed.”

The main weakness of this case is the fact that Bill told Garcia that they were coming to “kill” him, which is a clear sign that “Kingry” may start his own legal process.

In response to the video reminding Bill of his words, Garcia replied, “I have no choice but to sue him.”

Promoter Eddie Hearn, who once represented Haney until the falling out, says Garcia’s actions could have huge consequences.

“This could be a really pivotal moment for boxing because in the past people have asked when a fighter fails a drug test and there’s a fight, ‘Should there be legal or police action against this fighter?’

“If Haney wins this case, I think it will really start to discourage players from using PEDs. When Ryan Garcia gets a one-year ban, it’s not a problem. A few months break and you’re back in camp. But if you lose tens of millions of dollars, it takes on a different meaning,” Hearn told Charlie Parsons.

In reference to Haney’s attempt to profit from the loss, Garcia responded to Hearn’s comments by saying, “Any expert understands that I have never knowingly taken PEDs. It seems you and the Haneys have underestimated me so much that you can’t recover from a fight, and neither can the Haneys. And now, looking at what happened, it seems like both of you can’t win [after Anthony Joshua lost].

Garcia added: “If Devin needs money that badly, I have a sponsor for him. This is a fresh type of tampon created especially for men.”

The fan also reminded the Haneys of their promise to murder in the lead-up. He asked, “Didn’t Bill Haney say they were sending Devin Haney to kill Ryan Garcia? Did he really want Ryan to die in the ring? Now Haney’s team says they could have died. Wanting to file a lawsuit is absolute bullshit.

Part of the lawsuit says Haney accuses Garcia of battery. However, the fact that Bill could stop the “battery at any time” could have backfired on him.

Garcia concluded: “I asked you, Bill, to stop the fight, but you allowed the battery to continue. You wanted this beating to match,” said the suspended super lightweight.

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Vuong benefits significantly from the weakening of Edwards-Yafai

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ONE of the biggest British fights of the year is a stern step up for a potential lightweight contender on the card.

Cameron Vuong (6-0 (3 KO)) will fight former British and European lightweight champion Gavin Gwynne over 10 rounds on November 30 as part of the Clear Edwards-Galal Yafai main event at the Resorts World Arena in Birmingham.

Vuong, trained by Jamie Moore, entered action on September 18, defeating Joe Underwood Hughes. However, the 22-year-old asked to be moved to tougher fights and is now getting his wish against Welshman Gwynne.

Just 10 months ago, Gwynne won the EBU belt by defeating veteran Emiliano Marsili, who retired in the eighth round with a shoulder injury. Gwynne vacated the belt and moved on to fight in Riyad, Saudi Arabia against the highly touted Mark Chamberlain. The less experienced Chamberlain proved too powerful for Gwynne and stopped his fighter in the fourth round. Vuong vs. Gwynne could be intelligent matchmaking or a step too early for Vuong.

Walker looks set to get back to winning ways against Lewis Ritson (Photo: Charles McQuillan/Getty Images)

Elsewhere on the November 30 event, Conah Walker will face welterweight Lewis Ritson over 10 rounds. Walker felt tired after a points defeat to Lewis Crocker in June and will look to regain the momentum he gained after back-to-back wins over Cyrus Pattinson and Lloyd Germain.

For Ritson, once nicknamed “Geordie Golovkin,” winning is crucial. Although Ritson was only 31, he had lost his last two fights to Ohara Davies and Paddy Donovan, and a fifth career defeat could spell the end of the road for the former British lightweight champion.

Super flyweight prospect Hamza Uddin makes his third appearance in the professional rankings against former Midlands Area flyweight champion Benn Norman. Coventry’s Aaron Bowen will be looking to move to 4-0 against his yet-to-be-announced opponent.

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