Daniel Dubois positive has come a heck of a good distance since he was cruelly and unfairly labelled a “quitter” by too many individuals, by individuals who ought to have identified an entire lot higher. 27 12 months outdated Dubois additionally got here a good distance right here in 2024, far sufficient for him to be greater than worthy of selecting up the Comeback Fighter of the 12 months gong.
It’s right down to opinion, in fact, as it’s when handing an award to any fighter, for any cause. That is an particularly enjoyable time for boxing followers and for boxing writers, as the varied awards and the way they’re dished out makes for attention-grabbing studying and much more attention-grabbing selecting. You in fact can have your opinion on who deserves to win the Fighter of the 12 months award, on who which fights deserves the FOTY trophy, on which KO deserves to be handed the KO of the 12 months bauble, and so forth……
However by way of Comeback Fighter of the 12 months, it’s robust to consider anybody extra worthy than Daniel Dubois, AKA “Triple D.” Even when it may very well be argued that Dubois’ comeback success truly started a 12 months in the past, in December of 2023.
Dubois, who had put an entire lot proper, in his personal thoughts most significantly, along with his late spherical stoppage win over a fiercely trash-talking Jarrell Miller a 12 months in the past, positive stored the momentum going right here in 2024. The win over Miller got here in Dubois’ first battle again after being stopped in 9 by Oleksandr Usyk. Dropping Usyk with a “was it low, was it a legit physique shot” early, Dubois was then dropped greater than as soon as and he needed to hear the dreaded “quitter” tag as soon as once more consequently (Daniel first listening to it again in 2020, when a merely ghastly eye damage gave him no alternative however to go down one knee in his shedding battle with Joe Joyce).
Boy, did Dubois make his critics eat their phrases this 12 months.
A stoppage win over an unbeaten Filip Hrgovic might need ranked fairly proudly as another heavyweight’s 12-month spotlight, however Dubois, after his thrilling win over Hrgovic, made a much more vital, a lot larger splash. Anticipated by practically everybody to get stopped by former two-time heavyweight champ Anthony Joshua – who was coming off a thudding, put-him-back-in-his-place KO win over Francis Ngannou – Dubois as a substitute destroyed Joshua.
It was just about all Dubois from the opening bell, this save for a determined, roll the cube effort from a harm, he’d been down 4 instances AJ, who caught his rival countryman with a proper hand within the fifth. However Dubois then made Joshua pay massive time, this as he ruined him with a counter proper that carried much more power. It was throughout, with Joshua left able and a state we had by no means seen him in earlier than, on his face on the mat, his senses obliterated.
What a 3 month spell Dubois, 22-2(21) had had.
Now, the reigning IBF heavyweight champ appears to be like forward to what he hopes will likely be a win over former WBO champ Joseph Parker in February. After that, who is aware of? May Dubois show to be The Fighter of the 12 months in 2025?
