Anthony Joshua has vowed to “knock down” Daniel Dubois with his spirit when they fight for the world heavyweight championship in London on Saturday.
Wembley is expected to host 96,000 fans, which would be a post-war record for a boxing event in the UK.
Joshua will be attempting to become a three-time world heavyweight champion, while Dubois will be looking to retain the IBF belt he was awarded after it was vacated by Oleksandr Usyk in June.
Asked how he wins the fight, Joshua said: “It can happen in a number of ways. I don’t rely on the power of my punches; it takes a lot more to be a great fighter. I will destroy him with my spirit.”
“I showed Daniel and his entire team the respect they deserve during my training camp and that will put me in a good position. I am strong, so is he. May the best man win. Good luck to him and his team.”
“When I first started boxing, I wanted to bring the heavyweight division back to life in the UK. So congratulations to everyone here as well. What a blessing to be back… we’re ready to give it our all.”
“I’m in excellent physical and mental condition. I’ve been watching some of the previous fights to remind myself of what I’m capable of.”
Both fighters come into the fight on a hot streak. Dubois has two convincing wins under his belt against Jarrell Miller and Filip Hrgovic after a loss to Oleksandr Usyk, while Joshua is riding a three-fight knockout streak against Robert Helenius, Otto Wallin and Francis Ngannou.
His recent record, as well as his physical attributes, have led many to suggest that the fight, one way or another, will not go 12 rounds. Dubois comes into the fight as the defending IBF champion, but said he wants to beat Joshua to put his stamp of authority on the belt.
“I need to hold on to it and hold on to it. I need to legitimize myself by winning this fight,” Dubois said. “It’s a resurrection story for my career. I just want to face the biggest challenges and make a name for myself and make history.”
While fighting in massive stadiums is second nature to Joshua, the experience of fighting in front of more than 90,000 people will be new to Dubois.
Last year in Poland he fought Usyk in front of an estimated 40,000 people but a crowd at Wembley Stadium, which is expected to be at its peak, will be a totally different prospect. Dubois dismissed any suggestion that the occasion and walking through such a crowd would be too much. “It’s like I’ve done it many times before, this time it’s on the biggest stage so the energy will be higher,” Dubois added.
