Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois will face off in a big heavyweight fight on September 21 at Wembley Stadium. The two British boxers will battle for Dubois' IBF World Heavyweight Title.
Dubois got his hands on the belt after Oleksandr Usyk vacated it. The Ukrainian had to give it up because he's set for a rematch with Tyson Fury in December. Dubois, who was the interim champ, got bumped up to full champion status.
Both fighters have bounced back well since losing to Usyk. Joshua's won his last three fights, stopping Robert Helenius, Otto Wallin, and Francis Ngannou. Dubois has also picked up two impressive stoppage wins over Jarrell Miller and Filip Hrgovic.
Duke McKenzie, a former three-weight world champion, thinks Dubois might have the edge in this fight. He shared his thoughts on TalkSPORT:
"I don't know if he's the people's favourite and I don't know if he's the bookies' favourite, and I don't gamble but if I did right now and I had to pick one person to win this particular fight I'm slightly leaning towards Dubois. Simply because … when you look at the last several fights that they've had, AJ's had the softer ride in. Dubois has the more natural athleticism about him. He's more loose than AJ. He would've done his research on AJ and know how to beat him."
McKenzie praised Dubois for his jab, power, and speed. He also thinks the 26-year-old throws better combinations and seems fearless right now.
On the flip side, McKenzie pointed out some issues with Joshua's recent performances. He said AJ doesn't throw combinations like he used to and only attacks when he's sure he's in range. McKenzie also mentioned that Joshua seems to panic if his right hand doesn't land.
Even with these critiques, the betting odds still favor Joshua to win. He'll step into the ring as the favorite to take the belt from Dubois.
The fight's not likely to go the distance, according to McKenzie. Both guys hit hard, so we might see a knockout.
For Joshua, this fight's a chance to become a three-time heavyweight champ. For Dubois, it's a chance to prove himself against one of the biggest names in boxing.
The undercard for the event is expected to be impressive too, making this a can't-miss night of boxing at Wembley Stadium.
