IN APRIL, 2017 Boxing Information sat down with Daniel Dubois for the primary time, in what was the primary main characteristic with the then-teenage heavyweight printed wherever. Little was identified of the child from London, apart from that he had apparently dropped Anthony Joshua in sparring after which signed an expert contract with Frank Warren.
By the way, the problem of the journal by which the characteristic appeared hit the cabinets on April 20, 2017, simply 9 days earlier than Joshua knocked out Wladimir Klitschko at Wembley Stadium in what’s arguably nonetheless the best second of his profession so far. On the quilt of that problem, of Dubois we requested: “The brand new Joshua?”
Now, greater than seven years on, Dubois has simply knocked out Joshua in the exact same stadium with an iconic fifth-round end in entrance of greater than 96,000 followers.
Under, we have now printed the dialog between Dubois and Boxing Information’ senior reporter Declan Taylor in full. Take a look again at what Dubois, simply 19, product of the comparisons with Joshua, his view of the sparring rumours and his hopes and desires for the approaching years. It has been fairly a journey for the Londoner.
‘I HURT EVERYONE I SPAR’
When you think about touted heavyweight prospect Daniel Dubois has sparred Anthony Joshua – amongst others – it’s time to concentrate, writes Declan Taylor.
April, 2017
DANIEL DUBOIS can barely be heard over the standard hubbub within the cafe at east London’s well-known Peacock Fitness center. The seat on which his 6ft 5in, 17 stone body is perched struggles to carry him up too.
At simply 19, the softly spoken big is a picture-book heavyweight. His potential so huge that he was already being tipped to deliver residence a gold medal from the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. That was till he determined, having had simply six senior contests in his total life, to show skilled to widespread shock,
“After I was within the newbie system, successful a gold medal was the only focus,” Dubois tells Boxing Information. “Now, they’ve given me an opportunity to pursue my final dream; the world heavyweight title.”
He took step one on that street on April 8 when he distributed of the 1-0 however woefully overmatched Marcus Kelly in simply 35 seconds. Dubois was imagined to be combating 12-5 Dave Howe till the Yorkshireman pulled out, leaving Kelly with simply days to arrange – and it confirmed.
Dubois stated: “What can I say? I did what l needed to do, I received the ball rolling. He got here out swinging so I needed to keep composed and do my job, which is what I did, it was step one on my journey and I used to be simply joyful to get began. I can’t anticipate the following one.”
On this Anthony Joshua age, promoters are falling over themselves to search out the following large heavyweight star. Certainly, it was réported that Dubois obtained a six-figure signing-on payment to show over with Frank Warren.
The veteran promoter tried laborious to signal AJ within the months that adopted London 2012 however he was left disillusioned when he as an alternative selected Eddie Hearn and Matchroom with whom to launch his profession: Warren was not about to let Dubois slip away.
Given his dimension, age and mild-mannered nature, {the teenager} is sure for a profession of comparisons with Joshua however the two are very a lot reverse sides of the identical heavyweight coin.
For starters the IBF heavyweight champion didn’t look after boxing one bit earlier than his cousin Ben Ileyemi invited him alongside to the health club when he was 18 years outdated. Joshua was not a fan of the game, didn’t comply with it in any respect and, in actual fact, to today he has no concept rating an expert boxing match. Though he’s a giant fan of outdated fighters now, it was not all the time thus.
Dubois, in the meantime, has been an avid scholar of the sport since he was in main college. Raised on outdated boxing video tapes by his father Davidson, as a child he may describe the distinction in nuance between the jabs of Larry Holmes and Mike Tyson, as an example.
He was additionally withdrawn from conventional schooling on the tender age of 12 to ensure that him to concentrate on his boxing. On the similar age, Joshua had simply returned from a stint at a boarding college in Nigeria earlier than becoming a member of Kings Langley Faculty in Hertfordshire.
Dubois provides: “My upbringing was good – It was all the time about boxing, primarily about coaching, however I loved that. I liked it. I did all sports activities: athletics, javelin. I used to coach at Crystal Palace. I did many alternative sports activities, I by no means took them very significantly becáuse boxing was the one fixed. Every part else was to assist my boxing.
“My power all the time stood out. I used to be all the time stronger than all the opposite youngsters. They used to say ‘oh I want i had a physique such as you, and your energy’. That stood out for me quite a bit so I simply added some talent to that after which I began having success.”
And herein lies the following distinction within the careers of Dubois and Joshua. Though he had no junior bouts, the latter trod the normal newbie route: Haringey Field Cup, senior ABAs, European and World newbie championships earlier than that gold on the 2012 Olympics. Dubois, in the meantime, impressed as a junior however had simply six contests as a senior.
As well as, Joshua boxed completely out of Finchley ABC when he wasn’t up in Sheffield. Dubols, however, appeared to have stints at nearly each main membership in London with spells at Repton, Dale Youth and the Lynn, amongst others.
“Im from Chelsea,” Dubois explains. “My dad has received a spot there and in Greenwich so he used to coach right here on the Peacock. I grew up primarily in west London however after I began boxing i came visiting right here at first, however then Dale Youth was good for me after I was west.
“I used to be simply looking for myself, ensuring I loved gaining expertise of various golf equipment and completely different coaches who may train me various things. I believe it labored nicely for me.”
So nicely, in actual fact, that regardless of his tender years and novice standing Dubois discovered himself assembly with a string of main promoters eager to tempt him away from following his preliminary dream of successful Olympic gold.
“I met with Eddie Hearn after which Barry McGuigan,* he recollects. “Individuals like that have been interested. They each spoke to my dad about it. Then it got here spherical to Frank.”
His resolution to show skilled was one factor, however the hyperlink up with Warren was a shock given that the majority of Workforce GB’s expertise of late have As a substitute opted to hitch Matchroom. The likes of Joshua and his London 2012 teammates Luke Campbel and Khalid Yafai have all headed to Essex. Extra lately Josh Kelly, Joe Cordina and Lawrence Okolie have accomplished the identical.
Dubois feels prefer it has develop into a well-trodden path for these working underneath GB efficiency director Rob McCracken to then select Hearn, however the teenager had no downside bucking the pattern. He now trains underneath Martin Bowers on the Peacock.
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – APRIL 08: Daniel Dubois and Marcus Kelly throughout their Heavyweight bout at Manchester Area on April 8, 2017 in Manchester, England. (Photograph by Mark Robinson/Getty Photos)
“Perhaps Rob is guiding all of them to Eddie,” Dubois says. “So I simply went the opposite approach.
“How did it go down? It was my resolution. There was nothing they might do about it. I’m the one doing the combating.”
The choice was a curious one given his prospects for a medal in Japan. Certainly the information was greeted with skepticism by many. One in all his tremendous heavyweight rivals on the Podium Squad, Frazer Clarke, even took to Twitter to provide what seemed to be his cryptic view on the transfer. “Bunch of leeches mind washing a child as a result of they see the pound notes…” he wrote.
Dubois took little discover. “Everybody has their very own private view on it,” he says, instantly irritated. “It’s their very own opinions, it doesn’t matter in any respect. I’ve needed to take care of a great deal of them already.”
So whereas it took precisely a yr for Joshua to show skilled following his success on the Olympics, Dubois’ transition to the paid ranks was altogether faster.
“All of it occurred very quick,” he recollects. “Me and my dad mentioned it. My dad thought ‘yeah, we’re prepared’. He is aware of, I belief him, so we did it. I’d say it simply made sense for me and my household. He made me a great supply, it made good monetary sense, so why not? I believe he’s the very best man for the job. I’ve seen his observe file with individuals like “Prince” Naseem [Hamed], Joe Calzaghe, Ricky Hatton. You’ll be able to’t deny the form of success he’s had.”
So what was it that made three of the nation’s main promoters all try to snap him up on the similar time? “It was the sparring rumours,” Dubois says. “As quickly as they began doing the rounds, that’s when the contact got here.
Because of his time with GB, Dubois has sparred numerous rounds with Joshua, Clarke and Olympic silver medatist Joe Joyce whereas, he says, all the time a minimum of holding his personal. Sparring rumours are frequent foreign money in boxing though it’s all the time tough to separate the true from the pretend. It has been stated that Dubois has floored all three.
“These rumours,” he chuckles. “They’re all fully true. However significantly. I damage anybody I spar with. I’ve sparred Anthony Joshua, I’ve sparred Joyce, I’ve sparred Frazer… Many of the main heavyweights and accomplished nicely in opposition to all of them. I’m younger now so I really feel I can surpass all of them to get to the highest.
“I used to be additionally up in Bolton sparring Hughie Fury forward of his world tide combat and whereas I used to be up there, Tyson jumped in for a spherical too. Each time I’m within the health club I really feel like I’m studying.”
From that perspective, Dubois is nicely positioned to provide an opinion on the present panorama on this nation. He says: “Joshua is the very best in Britain, primarily based on what I’ve seen. He’s crushed everybody he’s had in entrance of him and he’s world champion. With the ability to spar him a lot was a great expertise. At first I used to be a bit nervous – ‘woah, that is the world heavyweight champion’ – however I did nicely.
“He’s bodily big, there aren’t too many who’re larger than me, however on the finish of the day, abilities pay the payments. If I’m doing nicely in opposition to him, seeing issues that I need to do within the spar and pulling them off, then I can do them in a combat.
“He gained his belt 4 years after he gained the gold. I’m seeking to win the world title earlier than Tokyo 2020 – that’s the objective. I’ve been boxing for 10 years now, I do know what I’m doing. That’s my skilled objective – to win a world title earlier than the 2020 Olympics.”
Whereas Joshua made his skilled debut amid a lot fanfare in 2013 when he knocked out Emanuele Leo at a packed 02 Area, Dubois’ introduction to the professional recreation was way more low key. Now he’s hoping to field six extra instances earlier than Christmas, with a spot on this weekend’s Leicester invoice in opposition to Cameroon’s Blaise Mendouo, his subsequent outing.
“Manchester was simply the beginning for me,” he provides. “I beat who they put in entrance of me and that’s what I’ll all the time do. I felt so comfy. I felt prefer it was what I used to be born to do.
“I’m from a boxing household, I’m certainly one of 11 youngsters. My sister Caroline is an undefeated champion and my brother Prince, who’s 12, is the following one. He’s virtually as tall as me already and weighs about 63kg. He’s going to be larger than me.
“It was my dad who had the imaginative and prescient to place us all into it and I’m the primary one out, main the best way. I’m the beginning of the dynasty and that’s an honour for me.”
With that he walks again into the bowels of the Peacock for his second session of the day. Softly-spoken or not, Dubois is able to make a variety of noise.
