Julius Okorie
Nigeria -British boxer, Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois, can hardly wait for their September 21 world heavyweight title fight as they almost came to blows after meeting face to face during an interview.
The duo, were brought together at the Wembley Arena for a chat ahead of the fight, expected as usual to tickle the fancy of creme dela creme of the boxing industry and fans of the sports alike.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelAs the chat progressed, the mood turned ugly as both rose angrily to their feet. Dubois brandished a fist and said: ‘Right. Let’s do it here now.’
Joshua explained his reaction: ‘I said let’s go but then stepped back. There are two elements at work in this. Boxing under the Queensberry Rules and our fighting instincts.
‘I chose to be the bigger man’
Burly security staff stepped in hurriedly to keep the two English rivals apart.
Promoter. Frank Warren. said; ‘This was serious. We don’t need any stunts to sell this fight.’
Wembley Stadium will be sold out in no time. ‘Who won’t want to see two British giants with massive punching power go at each other. It’s what heavyweight boxing is all about.
READ ALSO Anthony Joshua Floors Tyson Fury In Latest WBC Rankings
‘Daniel is really up for this fight already. And the big pressure is on Joshua at this later stage of his career.’
Eddie Hearn, Joshua’s promoter, added: ‘It was at the end when they said, “September 21st and not before,” and Daniel said, “Well if you want to go now, I’ll go now.”
‘AJ said, “Do you want me to smash this chair across your face? Don’t ever disrespect me like that again.” And he went for him. They had to be pulled apart.’
Dubois said: ‘I’m now dreaming every night about knocking him out and walking away.’
The flare up reportedly came in the corridors of Wembley Arena after Oleksandr Usyk gifted Joshua the chance to become a three-time world heavyweight champion by taking on this Battle of Britain.
Usyk sent a video message to the pair, both of whom he has beaten AJ twice, en route to becoming the first undisputed champion of the four-belt era.
He said: ‘My friends The IBF title is my present to you,’
But his gesture in vacating that alpha-belt denies Tyson Fury the chance of finally becoming the undisputed world champion in their December rematch in Saudi Arabia
The WBC, WBA, and WBO titles will still be on the line in Riyadh in Christmas week. But if the Gypsy King is ever to scoop the pool he will have to avenge his defeat by Usyk and then hope that the winner of Dubois-Joshua agrees to fight him in 2025.
Julius Okorie is Chief Sports and Entertainment Correspondent for Prime Business Africa. He began his journalism career with the Champion Newspaper and Sporting Champion and later moved on to Daily Independent and the Nation Newspapers. Okorie joined Prime Business Africa in 2024 bringing on board 20 years of experience in writing investigative news on Sports and Entertainment. His well researched and highly informative articles on Sports Business and general entertainment are followed by a wide range of audience.
