Eddie Hearn says he doesn’t see IBF heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois as a reputable world champion going into his title protection towards the Hearn-promoted Matchroom fighter Anthony Joshua on September twenty first at Wembley Stadium in London.
Hearn’s Bitter Grapes
One senses there’s nonetheless some lingering bitterness with Hearn over Dubois destroying his Matchroom fighter Filip Hrgovic on June 1st and now poised to do an analogous job to his flagship fighter, Anthony Joshua.
If Dubois obliterates Joshua, there received’t be a lot Hearn can do to select up the damaged items of AJ’s shattered profession and glue them again collectively for a Tyson Fury cash-out.
Hearn views the IBF heavyweight title as vacant, and the Joshua vs. Dubois combat winner will seize it. It doesn’t matter what Hearn thinks as a result of Dubois is the IBF champion, and if Joshua loses, his profession will probably be within the mud.
Hearn’s delegitimizing Dubois (21-2, 20 KOs) because the IBF world champion have to be seen as one other one in every of his tips to make the 27-year-old Daniel query himself to combat under his capabilities towards the soon-to-be 35-year-old Joshua (28-3, 25 KOs).
Joshua will make tons of candy money if he’s victorious towards Dubois as a result of the Tyson Fury combat could be subsequent. Nonetheless, if Joshua is blown out of the water by Dubois on September twenty first, it is going to put him and Hearn in a horrible place to determine whether or not to rematch the younger gun or limp into the Fury match coming off a loss.
AJ wants all the assistance he can get as a result of he’s not fought a stay opponent since his second loss to Oleksandr Usyk in 2022. Nobody is aware of how Joshua will reply towards Dubois as a result of that is such an enormous step up at school in comparison with the final 4 opponents that AJ has fought.
“I don’t wish to see folks elevated from interim champ to full champ. If the IBF title turned vacant and it was Dubois towards Hrgovic, my reply could be, ‘Sure,’” stated Eddie Hearn to Charlie Parson’s YouTube channel when requested if he sees Daniel Dubois because the reputable IBF heavyweight champion forward of his title protection towards Anthony Joshua on September twenty first.
Nobody likes to see fighters elevated, however the truth is, Dubois holds the IBF heavyweight title, and if Joshua desires it to validate himself, he’s going to must beat him. Joshua and Hearn are making an enormous deal about capturing the IBF title. If the shoe was on the opposite foot and Matchroom fighter Hrgovic was the one holding the IBF title, Hearn could be pumping him up, saying he’s legit.
“However as a result of the [IBF] title wasn’t vacant once they [Dubois and Filip Hrgovic] boxed for it [on June 1st], I feel for me, it’s a vacant title. Sure,” stated Hearn when requested if the legitimacy of Dubois being the IBF heavyweight champion isn’t there.”
Dubois beat a fighter that many individuals noticed because the boogeyman within the heavyweight division together with his eighth spherical knockout of beforehand unbeaten Hrgovic (17-1, 14 KOs) on June 1st in Riyadh. The photographs that Dubois took from Hrgovic may have knocked Joshua out many instances over, and it’s admirable that he walked via them to attain a knockout.
“Pay attention, if Dubois beats AJ, 100% world champion, good luck to him. However to me, to beat Hrgovic as an interim champion, and to get elevated [to full IBF heavyweight champion], it’s totally different to successful it within the ring. However give him his props. He’s gone Jarrell Miller, Filip Hrgovic, and Anthony Joshua.
“He’s on run, and if he wins this combat, yeah, reputable world champion or certain,” stated Hearn about Dubois.
Dubois is the Champion, Interval
Daniel has fought much better competitors than Joshua in his final 4 fights, and that’s not up for debate. Hearn has been bailing water with Joshua’s ship, attempting to maintain him from sinking completely earlier than he units him up for the money seize towards the utterly washed 36-year-old Fury in 2025.
We’re doubtless going to see Joshua and Fury steaming into their fights subsequent 12 months, having misplaced their preliminary matches and looking out like a few outdated, pampered fighters.
