By Gabriel Princewill-
Daniel Dubois is under a lot of pressure going into his biggest fight to date this Saturday night. The big heavy handed and unbeaten heavyweight (15-0, 14 KO’s)has the task of stopping another hungry prospect in Joe Joyce (11-0(10KO’s).
Dubois is favourite to win for understandable reasons, but translating expectations to reality is not always a forgone conclusion. Expectations have to be actualised for its true benefits to be realised. Dubois must beat Joe Joyce spectacularly on Saturday to retain the hype and promise that accompanies his name. He can’t afford to slip up at this stage of his journey, especially as his ambitious opponent will have ideas of his own.
Joyce at 35 is acutely aware he is expected to be the fall guy on Saturday. The 35-year-old hopes to confound his doubters, but surely knows he has to play out his confidence in the ring for that to happen.
A super heavyweight silver medallist for Great Britain at the 2016 Rio Olympics, he has the higher amateur pedigree. He has also been moved fast as a professional, having knocked out former world champion Bermane Stiverne in six rounds and experienced veteran, Alexander Ustinov in three rounds to increase his knockout streak to nine.
Last July 2019, he went the 12-round distance when outboxing world title challenger Bryant Jennings over 12 rounds. It is fair to say he is probably much overlooked as a potential winner for this fight, but this is part of the pressure Dubois faces, no matter how confident he sounds.
At 23 years of age, Dubois is the man touted with future promise, the next Mike Tyson who must keep the momentum going with an emphatic win.
Disappointing as defeat maybe for choice, a loss won’t be the end of the world for Joyce. Especially if he puts up a good fight and gives a good account of himself. Joyce doesn’t have long left in the sport anyway, and can present a benchmark for testing other claimants to the throne, and still make some decent cash doing so.
Daniel Dubois (left) and Joe Joyce (right)
It would be different scenario for Dubois, whose promoter Frank warren, has already expressed confidence of mixing him up with the likes of Joshua, Fury and Wilder, even with his level of inexperience. Such is the level of confidence his promoter has in him, once shared by multiple experts in the sports.
It may be too early to tell how realistic those conjectures are, but now is the time for Dubois to affirm the level of belief in his future as a heavyweight star. Joyce’s level of durability is beyond question, and his schooling in the sport is evident. He does appear laborious at times in the delivery of his punches, though appearances can be deceiving.
Expect fireworks from the first bell and a brave, if not entertaining performance from Joyce. However, an exchange of bombs from the outset will likely see Joyce succumb around the fourth or fifth round, stopped either by a gashing cut or a devastating Knockout.