Daniel Dubois’ promoter Frank Warren paid tribute to both fighters after a thrilling IBF heavyweight title clash at Wembley Stadium saw Dubois retain his title with a stunning fifth-round knockout of Anthony Joshua.
Speaking to DAZN in the ring after the fight, Warren enthused, “The magnitude of it was phenomenal. It was a phenomenal fight, and I always felt it would be a Hagler-Hearns situation, and that’s what it was,” he said.
“The two guys gave everything. It takes two people to make a fight like that – a great champion, and AJ. Aj absolutely contributed, showed his heart right to the end, but it was just a brilliant, brilliant fight, and obviously I’m pleased because my man’s won, and I’ve had faith in him from the beginning. I always felt he would do it, and he’s done it.”
Dubois’ victory completed a remarkable career arc that looked to be going in the wrong direction after he was stopped by Joe Joyce back in 2020. Unfairly labelled as a quitter by his detractors, Dubois has since rebuilt his reputation and, even though he had a further defeat to Oleksandr Usyk in 2023, his subsequent wins over Jarrell Miller, Filip Hrgovic and now Joshua have put him right at the very top of the sport.
But, despite that journey, Warren said it was a progression, rather than a turnaround in fortunes.
“It’s not a turnaround. It was there. He was a young man. He had double fractures of his eye. He couldn’t fight, that was it. He couldn’t fight on against Joe Joyce, that’s the end of it. And it was what it was. And he’s come back from that,” he explained.
“And Oleksandr Usyk was considered to be, at the moment, the best heavyweight in the world, and he gave him, at that time, his toughest fight. There’s no doubt about that. He hurt him. I’d like to see him fight him now, but obviously he’s got to fight Tyson first, and I think Tyson will take his scalp.
“But he’s done brilliantly … Everybody here’s seen a champion’s performance tonight, two great fighters in the ring and a champion’s performance.
“And you know, he’s done everything that’s been asked of him. He’s showed his courage, his skills, his resilience. I mean, AJ caught him with a shot over there. I mean, I’ve got to be honest, I was worried about that. And I’ll tell you, from my heart, I was worried about that. But he caught him with a counter, and that’s what it was. But what a fabulous, fantastic fight by both the guys.”
With Dubois now cemented in place as the IBF heavyweight world champion, all eyes will turn to Saudi Arabia, where Usyk and Tyson Fury will run it back in a heavyweight championship rematch in Riyadh. Dubois could be in line to face the winner, but Warren wouldn’t be drawn on his plans until he sees the outcome of that December clash for the other championship belts.
“We’re going to sit down and think about it, see the outcome of the fight on the 21st of December at a Riyadh Season season show, and then we’ll make some decisions,” he said.
“But he’ll want to be busy. He may want to be out of the game before Christmas, we’ll see. But whatever happens, we keep him busy. He’s a young man, and he’s at the top of his game. And I think there’s more to come, by the way I shouldn’t say the top of his game. He’s at the top of his game tonight, but I think he’ll improve as a fighter on the strength of these last few results.”
