Connect with us

Boxing

An early look at the Joshua vs. Dubois fight and how it may play out

Published

on

In a social media post on Tuesday, undisputed heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk described relinquishing his IBF title as “my gift to you.” [Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois] September 21.” But that will be the only gift Joshua will receive when he fights Dubois for the IBF title at Wembley Stadium in London, trying to become a three-time world champion.

Joshua vs. Dubois is arguably the biggest fight in the UK this year – both hail from London – with the added spectacle of rival promoters Eddie Hearn and Frank Warren teaming up again. Warren recently routed Hearn in a best-of-five fight in a standout matchup between their stable of fighters (5-0). Hearn is promoting Joshua while Warren is promoting Dubois and the build-up is shaping up to be lively.

Joshua (28-3, 25 KO) has revitalized his career since losing two straight decisions to Usyk in 2021 and 2022. Following knockout victories over Robert Helenius and Otto Wallin, followed by a brutal two-round knockout of former UFC champion Francis Ngannou in October, Joshua currently looks more ruthless than any other heavyweight. Usyk was a worthy winner over Tyson Fury, who became undisputed champion by split decision in May, but has not shown the same firepower as Joshua in recent fights.

That’s why this fight is so crucial for Joshua if he wants to earn a potential title shot against the winner of the Usyk-Fury rematch, scheduled for December 21 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Joshua will likely start as favourite against Dubois – who was elevated from interim champion to full champion by the IBF on Wednesday – but it’s a potentially treacherous task for Joshua if he takes the safety-first approach he’s taken in the past. After his first career loss to Andy Ruiz Jr. in 2019, Joshua looked cautious in the rematch he won by decision later that year. By taking the fight at a distance, Joshua was confident he could get the job done without too much fear, but he wasn’t risking anything either. Similarly, in his fight with Jermaine Franklin last March – his first fight since back-to-back defeats to Usyk – Joshua was a bit of a letdown. We wondered if Joshua had changed for good – would he ever be the brutal boxer he once was?

Joshua, 34, has since emphatically answered the question in the affirmative. But as long as Dubois, 26, is ahead of him, he remains a threat to Joshua. Dubois (21-2, 20 KO) is robust, and the power of his punches recently destroyed Filip Hrgovic. Dubois stopped Hrgović with cuts in round 8 to secure a second shot at the world title after losing to Usyk by ninth-round knockout in Poland last August. Dubois also insists that he legally knocked Usyk down earlier in the fight, but the punch was deemed below the belt.

Despite Usyk’s setback, Dubois has impressively rebuilt his career after being stopped by a 10th-round jab from English contender Joe Joyce in 2020. Dubois was also knocked down in the first round by Kevin Lerena in 2022, but his punching power won him that fight, as it did in December against Jarrell “Massive Baby” Miller, who weighed in at 333 pounds.

Joshua stood ringside during the Dubois-Hrgovic fight to see what he could exploit up close. Hrgovic caught Dubois with right hands multiple times, which should have given Joshua confidence in his chances. Joshua also crushed Ngannou with a right hand and if Dubois offers Joshua the same opportunities as he did against Hrgovic, he will be severely punished.

Joshua punches significantly harder than Hrgovic, and Joshua fights like he did in his last fight, reminiscent of his tardy victory over Wladimir Klitschko in ESPN’s 2017 Fight of the Year, also at Wembley Stadium. September 21 will be another glorious moment in his rebirth as a career.

For Dubois to have a chance, he will likely impose a high pace on Joshua – it worked against Hrgovic, whom he dominated at the time of the stoppage – and that would limit Joshua’s chances to plant his feet and land powerful punches. If Joshua is cautious and reluctant to fight a known power puncher, as he was against Franklin and Ruiz 2, Dubois will have more time on the front foot to land punches that we know are damaging. Ruiz has retained Joshua and Dubois will be informed of this repeatedly by his team.

However, as we saw against Hrgovic, Dubois will offer Joshua an opening and the former champion will likely exploit them to another spectacular finish.

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Boxing

The fight between Alexis Rocha and Raul Curiel will take place on December 14 at the Toyota Arena

Published

on

Rocha vs Curiel

In a clash of forces between two world title contenders, NABO welterweight titleholder Alexis “Lex” Rocha (25-2-0, 16 KO) will put his skills to the test against undefeated knockout and NABF welterweight titleholder Raul “El Cugar “. Curiel (15-0, 13 KO).

The 10-round main event will take place on Saturday, December 14, live from the Toyota Arena in Ontario, California, and will be broadcast worldwide on DAZN.

“‘The best versus the best’ is Golden Boy’s mantra and that’s what fans will see as Rocha and Curiel take on everything that’s on the table,” said President and CEO Oscar De La Hoya. “Rocha is a veteran whose goal is to win the world title, Curiel is an undefeated blue-chip prospect with huge potential. It’s really a 50/50 fight and I’m looking forward to it.”

Tickets for the Rocha vs. match Curiel will go on sale on Friday, October 11 at 10 a.m. PT and will be priced at $100, $75, $50 and $25, excluding applicable service fees. A confined number of Golden Boy VIP Experience tickets will also be available, including exclusive merchandise and fight night upgrades. Standard and VIP tickets are available at Ticketmaster.com, Toyota-arena.com, Goldenboy.com or at the Toyota Arena box office from Monday to Friday from 12:00 to 16:00

“I’ve seen Raul Curiel all these years and he never once mentioned my name,” Alexis Rocha said. “After my last defeat, he suddenly became interested in fighting me. If he thinks I’ve lost a step or somehow had an simple fight, he’s in for a rude awakening. I can’t wait to make a statement and show the world what I’m capable of.”

Santa Ana, California Rep. Alexis “Lex” Rocha comes from a struggling family. The younger brother of Ronny Rios, he was the youngest fighter to win a gold medal at the Junior Olympics at the age of 14 in 2012 and caught the attention of the boxing world by becoming a six-time national champion during his amateur career. Rocha signed with Golden Boy in January 2016 and made his professional debut in March 2016, defeating Jordan Rosario at the Belasco Theater in Los Angeles. Since then, he has amassed an enviable record of powerful knockouts over top contenders and plans to return to world title contention, with his last fight being a victory over undefeated Santiago Dominguez on July 19 last year.

“The fans can expect a war,” said Raul Curiel. “I’m going to prepare well to put on a great show. This will be the most essential fight of my career so far. I know Alexis is a great fighter, a good opponent and will also show up prepared. My focus is on Alexis and if I can beat him, I know it will give me a chance to fight for the world championship.

Continue Reading

Boxing

George Kambosos moves up to 140, adds Eddie Hearn to team

Published

on

George Kambosos beats Teofimo

Former unified lightweight champion George Kambosos approached promoter Eddie Hearn asking for more massive fights.

Kambosos has signed a co-promotional deal with Eddie Hearn, under which the Greek-Australian slugger will continue his association with DiBella Entertainment Inc. and his own company, Ferocious Promotions.

The 21-3 star will move up to the super lightweight division of Matchroom Boxing’s lively division. He aims to become a two-weight world champion in early 2025, and as part of the deal, a title fight is promised as long as he continues to win.

Since his stunning victory over Teofimo Lopez, Kambosos has never shied away from competing against the best. Those three losses on his resume came to Devin Haney [twice] and Vasily Lomachenko, all at home and all for world titles.

The 31-year-old is now set to face compatriot Liam Paro after defending his IBF title against Richardson Hitchins in December in Puerto Rico.

“I am thrilled to be working with Matchroom Boxing. I am excited to have signed a three-way promotional cooperation agreement with my long-time promoter DiBella Entertainment Inc. and Ferocious Promotions,” Kambosos said.

“I made great success and history when I moved up the Matchroom shows by winning my UK elimination fight against Lee Selby. The most noteworthy and unforgettable is my victory against Teofimo at Madison Square Garden in Up-to-date York to become the 135-pound world champion.

“I am officially announcing that I will be moving up to 140 pounds and signing with Matchroom will ensure my continued success and the legacy I want to leave in the sport of boxing.”

Hearn, who adds an experienced campaigner to his stable, added: “I am delighted to welcome George to the team. George’s victory over Teofimo tore up the script and showed that George was the man for the massive time. He has proven to be a huge attraction in Australia and one of the real driving forces behind the rapid growth of boxing Down Under.

“The 140-pound division is full of massive names and massive potential fights. Adding George to the mix only elevates the level, and a possible fight with Liam Paro is a truly appetizing prospect. If Liam manages to win in a great fight against Richardson on December 7th [the fight could be on].

Lou DiBella, who has worked with Kambosos for years, said: “I’m glad I was able to make a deal with my antique buddy Eddie to work with George Kambosos Jr. and Ferocious Promotions.

“Throughout his career, George has been a fighter who has never shied away from a challenge, and now he wants to test himself against top junior welterweights.

Matchroom works with top 140-pounders, including George’s compatriot Liam Paro, and, like DiBella Entertainment, is heavily invested in Australia.

“It’s a natural partnership,” added the Up-to-date Yorker.

Continue Reading

Boxing

Mike Tyson had absolutely no chance of knocking out Jake Paul

Published

on

Mike Tyson comeback black

One of the hottest topics surrounding Mike Tyson’s return at the age of 58 was the possibility of the boxing legend scoring a knockout of Jake Paul.

WBN has weighed in on this topic several times, questioning the validity of five-second training clips that revealed nothing about Tyson’s abilities at this overdue age. One of the most intriguing observations during the preparations was the opinion of UFC commentator Daniel Cormier.

Speaking on his show “Funky and the Champ,” Cormier reflected on Tyson’s social media videos and offered an informed opinion on the meaning of the clips.

“I understand that [he is in amazing shape at 58]and I understand what he is saying [he feels as though he can compete]– Cormier said. “And I agree that when he hits the pads with Rafael Cordeiro, it looks like there’s still something left in him.

“But then I watch Jake Paul fight Mike Perry. I saw Jake Paul get overwhelmed to the point where he started to feel uncomfortable. It looked like Mike Perry had a chance. But Jake has a reserve tank he can go to and benefit from because he’s 28 years ancient. Then he comes back and finally finishes Mike Perry.

“At the beginning of the fight, Mike Perry gets beaten up and dropped. He looks trained and unmatched. This worries me because what if it looks like a 58-year-old man fighting a 28-year-old man while Mike can’t employ the backup tank to stay and compete with this newborn kid? I think it’s a failure for Jake Paul because if you beat Mike Tyson, everyone will love him.

He added: “What if Mike knocks him out? It’s over. Everything is ready. This would be the backfire of all time. If he gets knocked out, nothing like that has ever happened in the history of the sport.”

Unfortunately for Tyson, this revenge backfired spectacularly, as the former heavyweight champion’s return was the only event that bombed. Tyson had nothing left twenty years after he had nothing left in his tank and no desire to box in his mind.

Paul parlayed this into a money-making scheme that would forever be a success for him and his company, but would be poorly received by the die-hard boxing fraternity.

Cormier’s words resonate, especially after what happened in the ring when Mike Tyson struggled to shift into first gear, warning former fighters thinking about returning after 50.

Continue Reading
Advertisement

OUR NEWSLETTER

Subscribe Us To Receive Our Latest News Directly In Your Inbox!

We don’t spam! Read our privacy policy for more info.

Trending