Anthony Joshua shut down claims of Daniel Dubois almost knocking him out during their 2016 sparring session. The incident, widely discussed for years, led to speculation that Dubois had seriously hurt Joshua. Joshua clarified the situation, stating, “He hit me with a good shot, but I stayed on my feet. The idea of him knocking me out is just not true.” Joshua further remarked, “There were many witnesses in the gym that day who have confirmed nothing significant occurred. People will always talk, though.”
This statement clashes with former pro boxer Anthony Fowler’s version of the sparring session. Fowler asserted that he saw the incident and described Joshua’s legs as wobbly after a powerful punch from Dubois. Fowler mentioned that Joshua wished to keep sparring, but his coach, Rob McCracken, stepped in, advising, “Take a short break, recover your legs, then resume sparring.” With the September 21 fight looming, both fighters are on successful streaks.
Dubois, who is 26, has made a strong comeback after a tough fight against Oleksandr Usyk. He secured back-to-back wins by stopping Jarrell Miller and Filip Hrgovic.
Dubois is set on toppling Joshua, declaring, “AJ’s been the king for a long time, and on the night, I need to become a king slayer. That’s my goal; that’s the mission at hand.” On the other side, Joshua remains self-assured, affirming, “I won’t let anyone manhandle me or try to knock me out. No way.” While some in the boxing community favor Joshua, others like Zhilei Zhang are rooting for Dubois, believing in his hunger and determination. The highly anticipated fight at Wembley Stadium will not only resolve their past sparring session debate but also shape the future of British heavyweight boxing.
