Anthony Joshua has attempted to set the record straight ahead of his fight with Daniel Dubois at Wembley later this month.
Joshua (28-3) and Dubois (21-2) will face each other in a professional bout for the first time on September 21, although they have previously sparred together.
It has long been rumoured, without much evidence, that Dubois once knocked Joshua out during a sparring session in 2016.
Those claims, which were seemingly started by unverified social media accounts, are wildly wide of the mark, according to Joshua.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Joshua said: ‘He just cracked me with a good shot. I stood on my feet. I don’t know where this whole narrative of someone turned my lights off came from.’
+4
Anthony Joshua (left) and Daniel Dubois (right) will fight at Wembley Stadium on September 21
+4
Joshua has had his say on rumours claiming that Dubois once knocked him out while sparring
Joshua suggested that multiple witnesses would be able to verify his version of events, by adding: ‘There were a lot of people in the gym that day as well.
‘With me, there’s always been like an inch that makes a mile. But it’s all good.’
While Joshua has tried to address the rumours, Dubois has stayed silent on the matter, which has inadvertently fuelled speculation.
The pre-fight talk will soon be over when Joshua and Dubois meet in London in less than two weeks, both aiming to continue their recent resurgences.
Joshua, 34, is significantly older than 26-year-old Dubois but their careers are seemingly at a similar point.
Both men have had to rebuild their reputation after losses at the hands of Oleksandr Usyk.
Since being knocked out by Usyk in August 2023, Dubois has got the better of Jarrell Miller and Filip Hrgovic, while Joshua has bounced back from his double defeat by Usyk by overcoming Jermaine Franklin Jr, Robert Helenius, Otto Wallin and Francis Ngannou.
+4
Joshua was defeated twice by Oleksandr Usyk, in 2021 and 2022, but has four wins since then
+4
Dubois lost against Usyk in 2023 but he has bounced back by winning his next two fights
Dubois recently declared: ‘AJ’s been the king for a long time and on the night, I need to become a king slayer.’
He added, ‘I’m learning more about myself as a fighter, as a person, coming out of the darkness and into the light, improving all around as a fighter and as an athlete.’
News
Why Is Martin Brundle Not Commentating at the 2024 Azerbaijan GP?
Credits: IMAGO / NurPhoto Popular F1 commentator Martin Brundle is absent from the Azerbaijan GP commentary panel, which made fans wonder about the Briton’s whereabouts. Apparently, Brundle’s new Sky Sports F1 contract has led him to miss out on the…
Carlos Sainz Says Ferrari Will “Think About” Aiming for the Championship if Success in Azerbaijan Is Achieved
Credits: IMAGO / HochZwei Charles Leclerc won the Italian GP and took the pole at the Azerbaijan GP with a convincing margin to McLaren. Carlos Sainz — who highlighted his struggles at Baku — qualified in P3. With Ferrari coming…
What Happened to Yuki Tsunoda?
Credits: IMAGO Eibner Yuki Tsunoda has had another disastrous Grand Prix at Baku this weekend as he suffered a second DNF in a row. The Japanese driver collided with Lance Stroll on the opening lap of the race resulting in…
Kicking it up a notch! Tyson Fury copies Oleksandr Usyk with unconventional training methods as Gypsy King takes part in karate session ahead of Saudi Arabian rematch
It seems as though Tyson Fury is taking a page out of Oleksandr Usyk‘s book of ‘quirky training methods’ ahead of their rematch in Saudi Arabia. In his latest Instagram post, Fury can be seen showcasing his unique take on karate ahead of…
Revealed: The cost to buy Anthony Joshua vs Daniel Dubois on pay-per-view FALLS worldwide – as Turki Alalshikh takes a stand against rising prices in boxing
Anthony Joshua vs Daniel Dubois will cost less than £20 worldwide on pay-per-view – marking a significant discount for American fans. Staged at a sold-out Wembley, the showdown will see Dubois’ IBF heavyweight title on the line. The belt was previously held by Oleksandr…
Max Verstappen Pushes the Netflix Mic Out of The Way Ahead of Azerbaijan GP
Credits: IMAGO Action Plus Ever since the first season of the popular Netflix show ‘Drive To Survive’ (DTS) aired, Max Verstappen has been boycotting it. The Dutchman has cited problems with the ‘dramatization’ of elements within the show, while also not liking…
End of content
No more pages to load