Anthony Joshua vs Daniel Dubois: Predictions for all-British heavyweight title fight

Anthony Joshua will take on Daniel Dubois tonight at Wembley in an all-British heavyweight showdown.

Here is how the boxing world thinks the fight will play out.

‘Dubois can take next step’

Lennox Lewis, former undisputed heavyweight champion
The key is experience, and that makes Joshua the favourite. Joshua has been in bigger fights, like Oleksandr Usyk twice. But I also think Dubois has a great chance. He’s been sitting at the back and he’s the underdog to a certain degree. He wants to come out of that shell. He wants people to see him under a different light so here’s his opportunity to prove it. These opportunities only come once in a lifetime so you have got to seize the moment. His graduation from each fight over the last three has been terrific. It’s not finished yet. There’s another step. He’s 27, the perfect age.

‘Joshua will knock him out in six’

Gareth A Davies, Telegraph Boxing Correspondent
Joshua has the experience and style to get the job done, and knock Dubois out inside six rounds. Dubois will be dangerous for four rounds, and his opportunity to spring attacks cannot be ruled out, but he is hittable and will be caught on the counter by ‘AJ’, who is the best finisher right now in heavyweight boxing.

‘Joshua will win but Dubois will be world champion one day’

Oleksandr Usyk, WBA, WBC and WBO heavyweight champion
I’m favouring Joshua, but I am very bad at predictions. But I will predict Joshua as the winner. But I also think Daniel Dubois will be the world champion one day. I wish him good luck.

‘Joshua – despite what Dubois did to Usyk’

Francis Ngannou, former UFC heavyweight champion
Joshua lost to Usyk twice and even though Dubois fought Usyk and almost knocked him down and almost won, I’m still going with Joshua in this fight.

‘Both say they are the underdog’

Dillian Whyte, world title challenger
It’s a 50/50 fight. You have Joshua saying he’s the underdog, and Dubois is saying the same. No one’s doubting Joshua. I just think that it’s one of those fights where either one can win.

‘AJ… and early’

Derek Chisora, world title challenger
AJ. He’s my guy. I break bread with him. But Daniel is dangerous. I think AJ will get him out of there early. Maybe really early.

‘Dubois is hardest puncher I’ve been in with’

Johnny Fisher, rising UK heavyweight
I’ve sparred Dubois several times. He’s definitely the hardest puncher I’ve been in with. He’s got a tough task, though. Joshua is proven. He’s been on the biggest stage several times. Dubois is in the ascendancy, Joshua is in a good run of form. I make AJ a slight favourite.

‘I’m expecting a war’

Ricky Hatton, former world champion
Everyone knows that it only takes one punch to end a fight, and that’s particularly true in the heavyweight game. Neither of them are going to want to get beat to a fellow Brit. Whoever wins the fight, the other boxer is going to have to be nailed to the floor. If you asked me who I would put my last pound on in this fight, I’d stick it on AJ, but I’m expecting a war.

‘Joshua in first or second round’

Teddy Atlas, former trainer to Mike Tyson
Dubois got hit too much by the right hand of Filip Hrgovic in his last fight. If he gets hit by right hands by Joshua, he won’t last. So, unless his defence is better, or he’s more evasive, Joshua’s going to knock him out in one or two rounds.

‘Joshua is superior in style and technique’

David Haye, former heavyweight world champion
Joshua. Stylistically and technically, he is superior but, until he started working with trainer Ben Davison, he didn’t mould his style around his strengths. He’s now got some predetermined punch sequences that are absolutely devastating, he just waits for the right time until he needs to pull the trigger – then people go to sleep. He’s starting to understand his strengths and implement them. If the version of Daniel Dubois who fought Filip Hrgovic – the version who was eating right hands all night – turns up against AJ on Saturday, I think he’ll have a really tough time. He’s got a great chin though, no one can question that.

‘Dubois is explosive but so is Joshua’

Carl Frampton, former world champion
I’m going with Joshua. I don’t see it going the full 12 rounds. Dubois carries danger in his hands and is explosive. But so is Joshua, and that bit better all-round, and with experience. I see Joshua stopping Dubois around the midway point.

Where the big fight will be won and lost

The jab is the key early on

This should be an intriguing fight, with two explosive, heavy hitters facing off. It is likely to be a battle of the jab in the opening salvoes, which could be cagey, with Daniel Dubois targeting Anthony Joshua’s body and head – particularly his chin – and Joshua attempting to keep the distance with long-range finders. It is likely to be high stakes, fistic chess in the opening few minutes, and could come down to who holds their nerve the most and controls the range. Dubois has a very fine jab and works his right hand off it. Joshua has a high guard and a piston-like jab.

Power and the glory

I cannot see this fight going the distance. Both men are explosive punchers, and both will land as they engage. In a high-stakes duel, it could come down to who lands first and hardest. Both have power in the right hand, Joshua’s long, straight right and his uppercut can end fights when accurate. Joshua is an exquisite finisher when his opponent is hurt.

The uppercut could be Joshua’s most dangerous weapon against Dubois, particularly if he slips Dubois’ jab and counters his younger foe. Dubois was targeted successfully by the right hand of Filip Hrgovic in his last fight, although the Croatian throws his right from different angles. Joshua’s right hand is a much more powerful tool, and Dubois can ill afford to take it. Equally, Dubois has a devastating right hand of his own which Joshua must avoid.

Trainers’ strategy will be vital

Both Joshua and Dubois have found expert advice and an alliance of success in their respective trainers, Ben Davison and Don Charles. Davison encourages Joshua to read the 2,500-year-old tome of the Chinese military strategist and philosopher Sun Tzu, while Davison insists his co-trainer Lee Wylie, a modern fight strategist, has “changed the way” the team analyses opponents. As shown in Joshua’s last two performances, under Davison, Joshua’s punch selection and offence/defence have been on point.

Charles, meanwhile, has helped the development of Dubois’ presence in the ring, and his self-belief. That was self evident in his last two performances, against Jarrell Miller and Hrgovic, in which Dubois showed chin, heart, courage and finishing power to dispel critics who said he had quit against Joe Joyce and Oleksandr Usyk.

Joshua’s big-fight know-how is an advantage

Joshua is streets ahead in experience which has been evident in the build-up this week, and ought to kick in when the action
begins at Wembley in front of 96,000 spectators. This is Joshua’s seventh stadium fight – one on an undercard at Wembley in 2014, a headliner twice at Wembley, twice in Cardiff and once at Tottenham Hotspur – and he is well versed in the rhythm of a mega-fight. His big night against Wladimir Klitschko was proof that he can handle a great occasion.

Wembley is a happy hunting ground for him. This is historic, too, as Joshua seeks to become a heavyweight world champion for the third time.

As time ticks towards 10pm on Saturday night, even though Dubois has insisted he is ready, and in spite of facing Usyk 13 months ago in Poland with 40,000 fans, this will be an altogether more pressurised situation for the IBF champion. Both fighters will have to draw on their mental strength, and find the calmness and fortitude to implement what they have been doing in camp for the last 2½ months. That experience makes Joshua a big favourite in this mouthwatering contest.

Betting predictions for Joshua-Dubois

Our betting expert has two tips for the all-British heavyweight world title fight between IBF champion Daniel Dubois and challenger Anthony Joshua at Wembley Stadium on Saturday night.

• Anthony Joshua to win in rounds 7-12 at 13/8 with bet365

• Both fighters to be knocked down at 11/4 with bet365

How do Joshua and Dubois’ styles compare?

This is a match-up between two of the biggest punchers in the heavyweight division and both have impressive stoppage rates.

Joshua has a 28-3 record and 25 of his wins have come inside the distance, giving him a KO rate of just under 90 per cent. Dubois’ record is even more impressive on paper, with 20 of his 21 victories via KO – a stoppage rate of just over 95 per cent.

Dubois has suffered two defeats in his career, both inside the distance, while Joshua has been knocked out once.

These fighters have two common opponents in Oleksandr Usyk and Kevin Johnson. Joshua beat Johnson in the second round, while the American is the only man so far that Dubois has beaten on points.

Usyk claimed two unanimous decision wins over Joshua, while he overcame Dubois via a ninth-round TKO.

AJ is the more polished of these two fighters with far greater experience, whereas Dubois relies heavily on his power. But he did demonstrate his abilities as an all-round boxer in an impressive win over the previously unbeaten Filip Hrgovic in his last bout.

Experience key for Joshua

With both men capable of securing a knockout, we could be in for fireworks, but Joshua has a clear advantage when it comes to experience.

AJ has an impressive CV with some huge names on his list of wins, while Dubois has only faced elite opposition a few times in his career. And a damaging defeat to Joe Joyce in 2020 forced him to rebuild.

Joshua has been on a rebuild of his own since being dethroned by Usyk. After a tame return and a points win against the unheralded Jermaine Franklin, he has put together three strong performances, with a trio of wins by KO.

The two-time heavyweight world champion is the stronger fighter when it comes to defence and movement. So his chances to record a stoppage should come in the latter half of the fight as Dubois begins to tire and is worn down by Joshua’s reliable work behind the jab.

Both men could hit the canvas

As both these men have awesome stoppage power, the 11/4 on both fighters to be knocked down looks an interesting side bet or alternative pick.

Dubois was knocked down three times inside the first round by Kevin Lerena in 2022 and both his losses have been stoppage defeats.

Joshua may be the better defensive fighter of the two, but Dubois knows how to pick a punch. He is unlucky not to have recorded a knockdown in his defeat to Usyk, perhaps one of the most elusive active fighters across all the divisions. The bodyshot that put the Ukrainian down was harshly judged to be a low blow.

Andy Ruiz Jr and Wladimir Klitschko have both sent Joshua to the canvas and Dubois has the talent and power to put his British rival down on Saturday night, even if that is not enough to see his hand raised when the contest reaches a conclusion.