Light-weight contender Maxi Hughes is choosing IBF heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois to defeat Anthony Joshua by knockout of their headliner subsequent month on September twenty first on the sold-out Wembley Stadium in London.
Joshua’s Fragile Chin
Hughes notes that the 34-year-old Joshua (28-3, 25 KOs) generally “falls to items” when hit onerous in his fights, and he feels that Dubois (21-2, 20 KOs) possesses the type of energy that can expose this drawback.
Some followers imagine Joshua has been rebuilt with the assistance of coach Ben Davison, who has him preventing extra aggressively since teaming up. Nevertheless, the opposition Joshua has been dealing with since including Ben to his nook has been subpar, making it inconceivable to know if he’s improved.
Joshua has overwhelmed fighters like Francis Ngannou, Robert Helenius, Otto Wallin, and Jermaine Franklin, whom he might have destroyed along with his first coach, Rob McCracken. AJ didn’t want Ben to assist him defeat these guys, as they’re not first-tier heavyweights.
Dubois’ Enhancements
Dubois, 26, has proven outstanding enchancment recently, extra so than Joshua, along with his victories over Filip Hrgovic, Jarrell Miller, and Kevin Lerena. You possibly can argue that Dubois deserved a knockout win in his battle in opposition to Oleksandr Usyk final 12 months in August.
Dubois dropped Usyk with a beltline physique shot within the fifth, however the referee dominated it a low blow. Replays confirmed that it was on the beltline and will have counted.
“I’m going with the unpopular choice of backing Dubois. I’ve seen loads of the interviews of different heavyweights speaking about sparring them each and saying how onerous Dubois is,” mentioned Maxi Hughes to the Secondsout YouTube channel, choosing IBF heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois to defeat challenger Anthony Joshua on September twenty first.
“He’s gaining expertise and coming off an excellent win in opposition to Filip Hrgovic [on June 1st]. So, he’ll be assured, and clearly, Joshua shall be assured coming off his win [Francis Nganou on March 8th]. I simply really feel like when Joshua does get hit, he can generally fall to items,” mentioned Hughes.
Silver Lining for Joshua
If Joshua’s chin hasn’t improved beneath Ben Davison’s watch, and I don’t see the way it might, Dubois could evaporate him with one in all his energy photographs and finish his imaginative and prescient of changing into a three-time heavyweight champion. It received’t be the top of the world for Joshua as a result of His Excellency Turki Alalshikhi has already advised him that he’ll get the mega-fight in opposition to Tyson Fury, even when he loses to Dubois.
“I do know folks say Dubois stop, however his eye was badly broken in opposition to [Joe] Joyce [in November 2020].,” mentioned Hughes. “He’s since had the battle [against southpaw Kevin Lerena in December 2022], and Dubois was down thrice in spherical one. He acquired again up and acquired the job carried out.
“So, I really feel like he put loads of demons to mattress there, getting put down thrice and getting again up and ending the job within the subsequent spherical [in the third]. So, that’s going to present him confidence. Dubois has been upgraded to the [IBF] champion as nicely.
“So, that provides 10% to his confidence as nicely. I’m backing Dubois by stoppage,” mentioned Hughes.
