Daniel Dubois believes he and Moses Itauma must learn a lesson from Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua – if they are to fight, they need to do it sooner rather than later.
Fury and Joshua have been British heavyweight rivals for almost a decade but missed the chance to fight each other at the peak of their careers, though they will now finally box in December.
A major rivalry for the next generation of British heavyweight boxers could develop between Dubois and Moses Itauma.
Dubois is a two-time world champion and still only 29 years old. Itauma is just 21 and already a world title challenger.
Dubois thinks Itauma will return to world title contention. “Of course he can. He had the whole industry behind him. They won’t let him give up I don’t think,” Dubois told Sky Sports.
“It was a great fight between him and Hrgovic, so there’s no shame in that really. Hgrovic just showed him that there’s always someone out there that’s stronger willed than you. More determination and he’s got kids to feed.”
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Highlights of the WBO heavyweight rematch between Daniel Dubois and Fabio Wardley. Video courtesy of DAZN
Dubois can see Itauma becoming a future opponent for him. “Let’s see what happens,” the WBO champion said. “I’m the one experienced in these situations now. So let’s see.”
For him there is a lesson to draw from the Fury-AJ example – don’t wait too long.
“I want to fight him [Itauma] sooner,” Dubois said. “Moses, anyone that can give me a challenge. All the toughest fighters out there I want to face.
“Let’s see. I’ll break them down now. I feel like I’m at that stage now. I know how I’ll have to break them all down, whoever I get in the ring with next, I’ll smash them up.”
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Speaking on Toe2Toe, Delicious Orie, Barry Jones and Sam Noakes reflect on Moses Itauma’s defeat to Filip Hrgovic.
Dubois showed his full wrecking force when he defended his WBO title in just two rounds in his rematch with Fabio Wardley. He’s convinced he is the hardest puncher in world boxing.
“I am. I’ve shown myself over the years as well,” he said. But he promises there’s still more to come.
“I don’t think I’ve even touched the surface yet really. I’m just starting to unload properly now. It’s going to be a good few next fights,” he smiled with an innocent menace.
The setbacks he’s had earlier in his career, the stoppage loss to Joe Joyce, being bamboozled and beaten twice by Oleksandr Usyk, he reckons have shaped him into the fighter he is today, a fighter, that is, who is arguably the most dangerous heavyweight in the world today.
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Highlights of the IBF heavyweight world title fight between Moses Itauma and Filip Hrgovic. Video courtesy of DAZN
“Who’s had a career like mine? Coming back from losses and then banging out good fighters. So I’ve been showing myself that I’ve got that power for a long time,” Dubois said.
“Broken me down and rebuilt me again a few times. It’s interesting.
“Of course, from the first fight with Joe Joyce, a few, Usyk and all those events I feel like they make you stronger.”
His fearsome confidence was on display as he ruthlessly bombarded Wardley into submission. But Dubois described it as something else.
“I’d say call it determination, just call it determination, will to win and a little bit crazy,” he said.
He laughed deeply. “So it’s good.”
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