Daniel Dubois has been highly vocal about wanting a rematch with Oleksandr Usyk, but there was another former cruiserweight who also posed the Brit a host of problems.
Daniel Dubois produced a career-best performance in his last fight as he dropped and stopped Anthony Joshua in devastating fashion, leaving Joshua sprawled on the canvas.
This marked the latest in a series of dominant performances from Dubois, who also stopped Filip Hrgovic and Jarrell Miller, also known as ‘Big Baby’.
His impressive run of form began after his controversial loss to Oleksandr Usyk, though it was the fight before that that saw Dubois touch down on the canvas three times in round one.
Daniel Dubois was punished by South African underdog on Tyson Fury’s undercard
In the co-main event for Tyson Fury vs Derek Chisora 3, Dubois took on former IBO cruiserweight champion Kevin Lerena, who was 28-1 at the time of their bout.
Many expected an easy night’s work for Dubois, though the opening round made it clear the fight would be anything but.
Dubois was dropped three times in the opening round by Lerena, though he later blamed a knee injury for the knockdowns, according to talkSport.
Usyk was ringside for the fight, which failed to impress as Dubois sustained damage from the smaller man. He did however turn the fight on its head two rounds later, coming back from the brink to drop Lerena twice in the third round en route to a third-round stoppage.
Lerena has since moved down from heavyweight to become the WBC bridgerweight champion.
Daniel Dubois’ former trainer saw the Anthony Joshua KO coming after he heard Joshua’s corner advice
In Dubois’ latest fight against Joshua, Shane McGuigan, Dubois’ trainer up until the Lerena fight, which was their last together, was commentating, and reacted to some of the corner advice to Joshua.
Joshua’s corner was heard saying: “In behind that double jab, bring it up, roll the dice.”
McGuigan, who trains Adam Azim, responded: “I think that’s dangerous advice there, to be honest, I mean getting him to bring it up off the double jab, Daniel goes at that right-hand straight off that double jab. And by bringing it up he means an uppercut, he’s going to walk himself straight onto a short right hand.”
This is exactly what happened as Joshua walked forward, pressuring Dubois in the fifth round before attempting an uppercut and walking, as McGuigan said he would, onto a short right.
Dubois could face Chisora next, though he hopes to rematch Usyk for the undisputed crown instead.