Daniel Dubois - the rare breed heavyweight veteran who has not even got started

Daniel Dubois  finds himself in a very rare position - he is a 27-year-old boxing veteran - as he gets ready to shock the boxing world for a fourth or fifth or sixth time. It is hard to keep count. 

On Saturday - July 19 - at Wembley Stadium, live on DAZN PPV, Dubois will return to the scene of one of his greatest triumphs, the night he obliterated Anthony Joshua in five one-sided rounds, as he looks to exact revenge on Oleksandr Usyk for undisputed heavyweight title glory, the man who stole his dreams back in 2023 . 

Although Dubois fell short at the highest level that evening in Poland, the result was a platform for him to rebuild his career , one that appeared to be in ruins, and the form he has enjoyed since is currently gaining further momentum as one of boxing’s most inspiring stories. 

Falling short on the big stage is still some achievement when analysing just how difficult it is to become world champion, but Dubois’ recent wins have erased the memory of another failure he endured back in 2020. 

 

 

In one of the biggest fights to take place in lockdown, Dubois and Joe Joyce, the 2016 Olympic silver medallist, competed at British level to decide who would push on towards more lucrative prizes first.

It was Joyce who would get the job done as his accurate jab punished Dubois’ eye and when many unfairly expected him to rise when dropped, Dubois chose to take the loss and save himself for another day.  

The viciousness aimed at Dubois from those in the sport who have since pulled out of fights with injuries perfectly highlighted the brutal nature of a sport where the expectation to risk life-changing injuries in the pursuit of honour sometimes borders on the ridiculous.

Dubois made a choice that would stay with him for a lengthy period, but over time, it has proven to be the correct one. 

Dubois' time to make history

Now on the verge of greatness, Britain’s first undisputed champion since Lennox Lewis at the turn of the century, Dubois has to somehow work out the formula that will help him move past Usyk.

Some of the sport’s biggest names have tried, but Dubois, armed with the type of confidence that can make men do magical things, is ready to eradicate another blemish that currently stains his impressive ledger. 

“There’s revenge for me, but it’s all in the past now,” said Dubois when explaining his motivations for facing Usyk later this year to DAZN News in an exclusive interview. 

“I want the belts really badly. I want to clean up in this division to cement my legacy. Getting the win over Usyk is what I’m really hungry for.”  

Although focused on destroying Usyk, Dubois will admit that his defeat to the mercurial Ukrainian in the summer of 2023 was the springboard to push on and finally fulfil the potential that promoter Frank Warren saw in him when he was still an ambitious teenager dreaming of occupying the spot he currently finds himself in.

 

“The first Usyk fight was the making of him. He grew up after that fight and he had to grow up. He’s done brilliantly since,” said Warren when speaking to DAZN News back in April . 

In his role as Dubois’ promoter, Warren has shown a remarkable emotional attachment to the fighter he has guided since day one to heavyweight glory.

Masterminding many of British boxing’s biggest names, Warren has demonstrated resilience and perseverance with all of them, but in Dubois’ case, there’s been a ruggedness and determination to push him to the top with the promoter/fighter relationship taking on a dynamic more similar to father and son. 

“Yeah, I’d say so,” says Dubois, when asked if Warren’s assessment of the Usyk fight is the defining moment of his career when an incredible reset took place.

“Look at who I’ve beaten. I’ve beaten some of the biggest names in boxing since then. People forget that I was still transitioning from a boy to a man.  

“Having the right people in my corner, my dad and other people. The three big wins, that can elevate you so much. Especially when you’re fighting the best out there. That’s what really helped me. It’s coming through adversity and getting battle hardened.” 

Defining moments and crowning achievements

If Dubois’ defining moment came against Usyk, then there is no doubt that his crowning achievement, up to this point, was his unforgettable demolition of Joshua last September.

A significant underdog with a collection of question marks hanging over his head, Dubois was intended to be the bridge Joshua would walk over to become a three-time heavyweight champion after enjoying his own period of knockout form which included impressive stoppages over Robert Helenius and Francis Ngannou. Dubois had other ideas. 

In one of the best ever performances produced by a British big man, Dubois made an immediate impact as he dropped Joshua in the opening round.

The 2012 Olympic ruler, the face of boxing for almost a decade, had no answer for Dubois' relentless and merciful assaults as he repeatedly hit the canvas before being counted out in the fifth session. The result created shockwaves in boxing, but for Dubois, and those close to him, it was a result they firmly expected. 

“I made it easy,” says Dubois with a smile although the answer is definitely serious. “He couldn’t deal with what was coming at him, we busted up his gameplans that he had probably been working on in the gym.

"We trained very hard for that fight. They had their gameplan, but I went in there and just smashed it all up. We tore up the script. It was all down to hard work and the team I’ve got behind me.” 

Almost one year on from silencing Wembley with his dominant performance, Dubois has to do it again when he comes face to face with this era’s most incredible performer, the brilliant Usyk.

Holding two wins over Fury and Joshua, his series of victories over Brits goes back to 2018 when he stopped Tony Bellew in Manchester. What can Dubois do to stop the trend and finally sit on top of the heavyweight division with all four belts his property? 

“I’ll win. Plain and simple. I’ll win. I’ve got to win by any means necessary. Knockout, whatever it takes, but I want to knock him out. We’re going to win.

"This is going to be like a coronation. The plan is to keep winning. Keep hold of my title, and to just ride it out for as far as it can go.” 

Five years ago, the end of Dubois was forecast by many in this reactive trade as he listened to a referee’s count reach ten.

Three years later, the obituaries for his time in boxing were read in a more authoritative tone. On July 19, after listening to so many say his career is over, for Dubois, it might just be the beginning. 

Usyk vs Dubois 2 only on DAZN

 

Watch Usyk versus Dubois 2 live and exclusive on DAZN PPV this Saturday - July 19 - for  £24.99 UK; $59.99 US; $19.99/equivalent ROW.  Buy the PPV now here .