Frank Warren breaks down how Dubois can claim shock win over Joshua

Frank Warren has revealed the path in which Daniel Dubois can score a shock upset over Anthony Joshua later this month.

The British heavyweights are set to collide at Wembley Stadium on September 21, with Joshua regarded as the clear favourite to beat IBF champ Dubois.

Although the duo have sparred several times previously, the upcoming bout marks the first time the two will have fought in a professional bout.

It will also be Dubois’ first time fighting inside Wembley, with Joshua having fought at the venue on three occasions.

Both men go into the bout on unbeaten runs after losing to Oleksandr Usyk, who was the undisputed heavyweight king before vacating his IBF title in June, which Dubois now holds.

Joshua copped a unanimous and split decision defeat to Usyk in September 2021 and August 2022 respectively, while Dubois was stopped by the Ukrainian in August last year.

However, Dubois has arguably had the tougher fights since his loss to Usyk having stopped Jarrell Miller and Filip Hrgovic, with the latter testing the Brit’s chin with thudding right hands.

As for Joshua, he knocked out a 39-year-old Robert Helenius, dominated Otto Wallin in a five-round beatdown and iced MMA legend Francis Ngannou inside two rounds.

Having got through the test of Hrgovic, Warren believes Dubois is more battle-hardened than Joshua and feels that is where the fight could be won and lost.

“I look at it two ways,” Warren told BoxingScene.

“First of all, Wallin didn’t want to be in there. Ngannou, he smelled him out and did what he had to do and he done it in style.

“He’s not been in with any quality and he hasn’t taken what I would call a solid punch, that’s definite. I want him to come out and throw those right hands at my man because that’s where he is vulnerable.

“He gets countered easy. And I’ll tell you something, that will be the telling point. Whoever gets clipped, how they react to it.

“Not to be knocked out, but the first solid punch that lands.”

Warren added: “Joshua will go on the back foot if he gets caught and if he goes on the back foot, that’s my man’s fight.”

The winner between Dubois and Joshua will put them on a path to fighting the victor of the Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury rematch.

Neither man has fought the Gypsy King, who is also a part of Warren’s Queensberry stable.

However, the carrot of exacting revenge on Usyk, who beat Fury in their first encounter, will no doubt be a motivating factor for both Dubois and Joshua.