DANIEL Dubois has already undergone quite the character arc, evolving from an unassuming prospect – appearing somewhat uncomfortable in his own skin – into a self-proclaimed ‘king slayer,’ eagerly awaiting his next battle.
Naturally, a moniker of such magnitude can only be earned through dogged performances and an almost sadistic warrior’s instinct, unlike what the 27-year-old was previously known for.
But seemingly, all it took was a second professional setback – which, as it happens, arrived against his next opponent – for Dubois, 22-2 (21 KOs), to become the tenacious wrecking machine he is today.
And so, as he now gears up to face heavyweight king Oleksandr Usyk at Wembley Stadium, London, the ‘king slayer’ must prove, once again, that he is worthy of such a formidable reputation.
But before the pair square off on July 19, it is worth taking a look at five of Dubois’ greatest victories.
Daniel Dubois vs Nathan Gorman
Having gone the traditional route, with the Southern Area and English straps already captured, it only made sense for Dubois to seize the Lonsdale Belt back in 2019.
Standing in his way of British honours was Nathan Gorman, a rather rotund heavyweight prospect who, in spite of his less than impressive physique, possessed fast-twitch reflexes and a crafty boxing brain.
But regardless of his opponent’s attributes, Dubois wasted little time before producing a punishing display at the O2 Arena, London.
Soon enough, the destructive puncher had floored his deceptively slippery rival in the third frame, with a ruthless fifth-round finish following shortly after.
Daniel Dubois vs Kevin Lerena
After having his mental robustness questioned – or rather, lambasted – following an 11th-round stoppage defeat to Joe Joyce, Dubois was then presented with an opportunity to prove his resolve in 2022.
Faced with a knee injury in the opening round of his showdown against Kevin Lerena, the Londoner was floored three times by his shorter, and therefore more awkward, opponent.
But while adversity had previously been seen as a nightmare, filled with pain and torture, Dubois simply refused to succumb to it this time around.
Instead, the ferocious puncher smashed his way out of the hurt locker before securing an emphatic third-round finish.
Daniel Dubois vs Jarrell Miller
Once again, Dubois was compelled to break through the pain barrier against Jarrell Miller, a limited but durable lump who, given his history of taking performance-enhancing substances, is no stranger when it comes to pushing his body to its limits.
Sure enough, ‘Big Baby’ was still very much in the fight following a fast start from his opponent, trudging his way through the middle rounds with an almost palpable shield of confidence.
At that point, Dubois was beginning to withstand a spell of punishment, not wishing to find an easy exit but instead force his way through the fire.
Due to that stubbornness, the more dynamic mover was eventually able to claim a stunning tenth-round finish in 2023, igniting what swiftly became a mightily impressive surge.
Daniel Dubois vs Filip Hrgovic
Despite entering the fight as a slight underdog – in the eyes of many, it seemed – Dubois had rebuilt his confidence to a point where such observations were neither here nor there.
Indeed, his performance against Filip Hrgovic last year offered an apt reflection of that newfound mindset, with Dubois going for the jugular right from the opening bell.
Not only that, but there appeared to be an element of inevitability attached to his gung-ho approach; the intensity of each attack, in that sense, showed no signs of relenting.
So while, at times, he was forced to absorb a series of thudding right hands, Dubois nonetheless kept his foot on the gas before halting proceedings in the eighth round.
Anthony Joshua vs Daniel Dubois
Regardless of Dubois’ status as the IBF world heavyweight champion, Anthony Joshua was considered to be an almighty favourite heading into their clash last September.
‘AJ’ was, after all, coming off a stunning performance – albeit against MMA fighter Francis Ngannou – which culminated in a truly brutal yet awe-inspiring second-round stoppage.
Similarly, Dubois was widely recognised as one of the heavyweight division’s most prolific knockout artists, mainly based on his victories over Miller and Hrgovic.
When the pair locked horns at Wembley, though, it was quite simply one-way traffic, with the IBF titlist flooring his man three times before capping off his vicious display with a devastating fifth-round conclusion.
