AIMING HIGH
Dubois sketches out his plan to join the likes of Joshua and Fury at the top
DANIEL DUBOIS has always had one dream. To be the heavyweight champion of the world. That’s what went through his mind when he first entered an amateur boxing club at only eight years old. Now 21, and an impressive 9-0 professional prospect, that dream still occupies his thoughts.
“Since I started. From the very first day I stepped in the gym – heavyweight world championship. Words can’t really describe how it was. It was just a very great passion for me to be heavyweight world champion and that’s my goal. [I was] really young. I was tall, skinny. Over the years obviously I worked at being heavyweight, what goes into me, everything that’s gone into me I’m really thankful for. It’s been a journey,” he told Boxing News. “It’s all of it really, the money, the glory, everything. We’re all in the business to get paid. It’s a business as well as a fight so the money, all of it, the whole package really.
“That what the amateurs was for me, to get ready to become a pro. That’s how it is and that’s how I’ve always thought about boxing and the sport I do.”
It is a good time to be a heavyweight and Dubois hailed the attention the likes of Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder have brought to the division. “Thanks to Joshua, Fury, Wilder, big characters, big fighters, it’s caught the public’s imagination. One day I’ll be up there as well,” Dubois said. “So many names flying around, we’re all just fighters at the end of the day so you never know. This is boxing, anything can happen.”
The manner of Fury’s performance in his controversial draw with WBC heavyweight champion Wilder got the boxing world talking. How would Dubois approach a potential fight with Fury?
“Until I fight him I won’t really know but basically put the pressure on him, use more skill, use my angles,” he said. “It was what it was. If I ever have to fight Fury I’ll know, I’ll prepare properly and I’ll be ready for it.”
Dubois has sparred both Fury and WBO, WBA and IBF heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua. “They’re different. I can’t really say who’s better until I see them in the ring and fight each other. They bring different styles to the game, different dimensions. It’ll be interesting to see them finally get it on. I think that’s what a lot of fans want to see,” he said. “[ Joshua] boxes, he’s a technical fighter. He’s still developing I think. Decent footwork, not great at anything in particular but decent enough to cause anyone trouble. He’s big, he’s a unit of man. There you go.
“They can fight whoever they want to fight, all of them. They’re the top men in the game. Right now I just want to get to the top and fulfil my potential and be the best.”
Dubois’ most recent fight saw him go 10 rounds with former world title challenger Kevin Johnson. “It was good. It showed me what I need to do to get these guys out of there. How much fitter I’ve got to be, how much more on it I’ve got to be, how much more determined I’ve got to be to knock these guys over, or pick my punches better. It’s a great learning curve for me,” he said.
On March 8 Dubois will box at the Royal Albert Hall when promoter Frank Warren brings professional boxing back to the august venue. On that bill twotime Olympic gold medallist Nicola
Adams will challenge for her first professional world title when she boxes WBO flyweight champion Arely Mucino and Liam Williams is set to defend the British middleweight title against Joe Mullender. Dubois will take on Razvan Cojanu, who went the distance with Joseph Parker in 2017 when he challenged for the WBO heavyweight crown. Dubois however isn’t planning for Cojanu to reach the final bell. “I definitely feel like I can get this guy out of there quicker. Just put my punches together, use my boxing and make the magic happen. Get into my zone and wipe him out,” he said cheerfully.