Daniel Dubois has given his thoughts on the upcoming heavyweight fight between Joe Joyce and Filip Hrgovic. The current IBF world champion has a unique perspective, having faced both boxers in significant matches.
Dubois, known as 'DDD', has had an impressive run lately. He knocked out Filip Hrgovic in June 2024, which elevated him to full IBF world champion status. He followed that up with a knockout win over Anthony Joshua in his first title defense in September 2024. A planned fight with Joseph Parker got cancelled when Dubois pulled out due to a virus.
Back in 2020, Dubois faced Joe Joyce in what was his first real test after being hyped up. Joyce won that fight by landing stiff jabs on Dubois's eye, forcing him to take a knee and be counted out due to vision loss. Many questioned Dubois's heart after that defeat.
However, Dubois proved his confidence and ability to withstand big shots when he knocked out Filip Hrgovic in June 2024. Now, he's sharing his thoughts on the upcoming Joyce vs Hrgovic fight.
In an interview with Podlounge, Dubois favored Hrgovic to win:
"I think Hrgovic can win it, he's got a good style, he's had the time to rebuild so I'm looking forward to it. It's interesting, is Joe going to come in and maul him? I'm looking forward to it to see what Hrgovic is like now. i heard and interview the other day where he said he's ready and means business, so we'll see."
Joyce has had a tough run recently. While he beat Joseph Parker, he lost twice to Zhilei Zhang and most recently to Derek Chisora. On the other hand, Hrgovic hasn't fought since losing to Dubois in June 2024.
The Joyce vs Hrgovic fight is set for April 5th in Manchester. It'll be interesting to see if Dubois's prediction comes true or if Joyce can turn things around.
