Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois traded words at a press conference on Thursday, two days before their all-British title fight at Wembley Stadium.
Joshua, 34, will challenge Dubois for the IBF heavyweight title on Saturday (21 September), bidding to become a three-time world champion.
Since losing the unified belts to Oleksandr Usyk in 2021 and failing to regain them in 2022, “AJ” has been near-perfect: outpointing Jermaine Franklin then stopping Robert Helenius, Otto Wallin and Francis Ngannou.
Meanwhile, Dubois bounced back from his own loss to Usyk – a stoppage defeat last August – with TKOs of Jarrell Miller in December and Filip Hrgovic in June. The latter result won Dubois, 27, the interim IBF title – which was upgraded when Usyk vacated the official belt.
And so the IBF title is on the line at Wembley this weekend, but before then, Joshua and Dubois made their final statements at Thursday’s press conference. Re-live updates from the Joshua vs Dubois press conference, below.
Joshua vs Dubois press conference LIVE
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Anthony Joshua fights Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium on Saturday
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‘AJ’ challenges his fellow Briton for the IBF heavyweight title
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Heavyweights spoke at pre-fight press conference today
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Interview: Joshua ‘willing to die’ in Dubois clash
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Why Dubois’s coach may be absent for Saturday’s main event
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Hearn predicts Dubois’s ‘head will fall off’ from pressure
Joshua vs Dubois press conference LIVE
19:48 , Alex Pattle
A tense face-off. No words, no sudden movements.
Many voices within the sport think this bout doesn’t go past six rounds.
I’m inclined to agree.
That’s all from us! Thank you for tuning in!
Joshua vs Dubois press conference LIVE
19:46 , Alex Pattle
That’s all the talking done. All that’s left is the face-off.
Joshua vs Dubois press conference LIVE
19:45 , Alex Pattle
Dubois on walking out in front of 96,000: “I’ve taken it many times before, it’s just this time it’s on a bigger stage, so the energy is gonna be higher.”
Joshua: “It’ll be the same for all of us, you know? Many of the greats have walked it before, all of the undercard will walk it. I’m gonna feel like any of them. The ring walk, I’m not really interested in.”
Joshua vs Dubois press conference LIVE
19:43 , Alex Pattle
On rumours around their past sparring session(s)…
Joshua: “He cracked me with a great shot, and it’s my chance to get him back on Saturday. We sparred hundreds of times, init.”
Dubois: “Sparring is sparring. Fighting is different. We can move on now, move on.” He slaps the table hard but also laughs.
“You think it’s different?” Joshua says with a smirk. AJ adds that he has “various ways” to win this weekend.
Joshua vs Dubois press conference LIVE
19:41 , Alex Pattle
Dubois says he wins “by any means necessary, whichever way it comes”.
Joshua: “I’m tough, so is he. As Frank said, we’ve got similarities, so may the best man win really. Good luck to him, good luck to his team.”
AJ discusses the tense moment at his sit-down interview with Dubois earlier this summer, when Joshua threatened to put a chair across his opponent’s face. “You should never let anyone take an inch, because they’ll end up taking a mile,” AJ says. Dubois doesn’t appear to be paying attention.
Joshua vs Dubois press conference LIVE
19:38 , Alex Pattle
Frank Warren, Dubois’s promoter: “For me, there’s nothing better than two Brits in the ring on a big night, sold out, it is gonna be something special.
“And Daniel, I do believe, is gonna show what he’s all about. I’ve believed in him since day one, and he’s come through everything – trials and tribulations, injuries, lots of things happen behind the scenes. Now he’s here with this belt, and he’s not gonna let it go.
“He can fight, he can punch, he’s as big a puncher as – if not a bigger puncher than – AJ. Do not blink in this fight. From the first bell to the last, it’s gonna be something extra, extra special.
“I believe this could be Britain’s Hagler vs Hearns.”
Joshua vs Dubois press conference LIVE
19:36 , Alex Pattle
Eddie Hearn, Joshua’s promoter: “I know [AJ] isn’t a fan of plaudits, but you have to give them to him. Every fighter in this country today has benefited from the fights, the rise, and the behaviour of this man.
“Personally, on Saturday, I can’t wait. I think it’ll be one of the greatest nights that British boxing has ever seen. As this fight draws closer, people start to realise what a great fight this is.
“Proud of Anthony Joshua, a full believer in where he’s at. Never seen him so calm, so confident, so calculated. I believe with all my heart: three-time heavyweight champion on Saturday.”
Joshua vs Dubois press conference LIVE
19:33 , Alex Pattle
Joshua: “It’s a blessing to be back again, to be able to perform and prove to myself and my team that I’ve listened to the instructions in the training camp.
“I’m in peak condition physically and mentally, I’ve been watching some of the old fights as well – adding fuel to the fire, reminding myself what I can do.”
On how the main event plays out: “We’ll find out, we’ve only got a couple hours left. I can’t say, I’m not Daniel; all I can do is focus on myself.”
Joshua vs Dubois press conference LIVE
19:31 , Alex Pattle
Dubois mentions his coach Don Charles, who’s been absent this week – amid rumours of a split, but later clarification that Charles has a cold.
Dubois: “Listen, as long as he’s in my corner on fight night, I’m okay. Yeah, everything is good.”
On Saturday: “It’s a resurrection story, my career, and I’m just on a roll right now. I just want the biggest challenges, to make a name for myself, and to create history.”
Why Daniel Dubois might be without his trainer for Anthony Joshua fight
Joshua vs Dubois press conference LIVE
19:27 , Alex Pattle
Michael Buffer with the introductions, and the key players are now at the main table.
Joshua vs Dubois press conference LIVE
19:19 , Alex Pattle
Joshua and Dubois are in the room. They should be taking to the stage any moment now.
Joshua vs Dubois press conference LIVE
19:06 , Alex Pattle
Rising British heavyweight Moses Itauma, who’s been touted as a future world champion, has sparred with Joshua and Dubois.
He tells Sky: “The thing is, when I sparred Anthony Joshua, I feel like… I was obviously 16, and he didn’t really want to knock out a 16-year-old!
“I feel like AJ would probably hit harder, but Dubois’s jab is very, very annoying. It’s just in a weird position, where it just stops you from throwing. His speed is very underrated as well.
“I think Dubois is stronger, but AJ is more explosive.”
Joshua vs Dubois press conference LIVE
18:57 , Alex Pattle
Next up, it’ll be Joshua, Dubois, Eddie Hearn and Frank Warren taking to the stage.
What we’ve all been waiting for…
Joshua vs Dubois press conference LIVE
18:52 , Alex Pattle
Hamzah Sheeraz and Tyler Denny will meet at middleweight, in Saturday’s chief-support bout.
Denny: “Listen, I’m not gonna badmouth him, he’s a great fighter – but so am I. I rate him, I think he’s a world-level fighter, but I believe in myself. My confidence is sky-high. I’ve been an underdog my whole career, but I keep winning.”
Sheeraz: “I like having these expectations of me, because I turn up, I show up, and I get the knockout. [Denny] has been beating whoever is in front of him, but at the end of the day, you’ve got to remember: I’m nothing like the last five fighters he’s upset.
“I am a very, very disciplined man, and I understand the mission of what I’ve set out to do.”
Joshua vs Dubois press conference LIVE
18:44 , Alex Pattle
Joshua Buatsi and Willy Hutchinson will clash for the WBO interim light-heavyweight title on Saturday. The Britons got physical at a recent sit-down interview…
Hutchinson: “I’m just looking forward to knocking this fella out on Saturday night. I don’t know what happened to him, he was an emotional wreck. It’s probably the same thing that’s gonna happen to him on Saturday.”
Buatsi: “I don’t think I’m an emotional wreck. We’re a couple of days out from the fight, so there’s nothing that’s gonna happen to derail me. It wasn’t a big thing, let’s move on, man.
“I think about him what you think about him, what everyone thinks about him, we all think the same.”
Hutchinson: “I personally think I’m alright! I can be a nightmare sometimes, but I think I’m a nice guy. I shake everyone’s hand.”
These two are former sparring partners, and Hutchinson has repeatedly claimed (as he is right now) that he got the best of those sessions.
Joshua vs Dubois press conference LIVE
18:38 , Alex Pattle
Josh Warrington was due to challenge Anthony Cacace for the IBF super-featherweight title, but only the IBO belt will be on the line this weekend – after the IBF refused to give the green light on a title fight.
Warrington, a former featherweight champion: “Listen, you’re not gonna get loads of screaming and shouting out of me, but one thing I can guarantee you is action. We might not shout or scream at each other, but don’t miss our fight: I guarantee it’ll be fight of the night.”
Cacace: “There’s no pressure. Josh is a two-time world champion, his career has been filled with success; I’m only getting success now. But I’m a big super-featherweight, and it’s gonna be a tough night for him. He’s too small for me, he’s gonna come onto shots. I’m not gonna have to go looking for him, he’s gonna come for a proper fight – and that’s exactly what I want him to do.”
Joshua vs Dubois press conference LIVE
18:29 , Alex Pattle
Ishmael Davis steps in to face Josh Kelly, after Liam Smith was forced to withdraw due to injury.
Davis: “I’ve heard Josh Kelly’s interviews, he’s overlooking me. I’m the most progressive British boxer. Saturday night, you’re gonna be in there will hell, bro.
“I dare you to meet me in the middle of the ring. You can laugh, but you’re a pretty boy; you’re not cut like me.”
Kelly, who is indeed laughing, can barely get a word in edgeways.
Joshua vs Dubois press conference LIVE
18:26 , Alex Pattle
Joshua and Dubois will take to the stage shortly; first up, it’s the undercard fighters.
Mark Chamberlain faces Josh Padley in a super-lightweight bout on Saturday.
Padley: “I back myself,…
