Former world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua has thrown his support behind New Zealand’s Joseph Parker in his upcoming IBF world title fight against Daniel Dubois in Saudi Arabia next month.
Joshua, who was stopped by Dubois in their last encounter; a performance that earned Dubois the “knockout of the year” award at The Ring Magazine event in London believes Parker will claim victory and become a two-time world champion on February 23.
Joshua has had a high regard for Parker since defeating him for the WBO world title in Cardiff in 2018. His respect has grown even more after Parker’s surprise wins over Deontay Wilder and Zhilei Zhang in Riyadh last year.
Boxing’s prominent figure, Turki Al-Sheikh, recently shared on social media his belief that Dubois will retain his title. However, Joshua disagrees, valuing Parker’s resilience, especially since Parker has won five consecutive fights following a knockout loss to Joe Joyce in 2022.
Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, echoed this sentiment in an interview with Sportsman Boxing, describing the fight as challenging for Dubois and praising Parker’s hard work and current form.
Parker and Dubois crossed paths in Riyadh just before Christmas, and both were present at the Usyk vs. Tyson Fury rematch, which Usyk won. Most heavyweight contenders, including Dubois and Parker, later gathered in London for The Ring Magazine awards, revitalized by Saudi investments.
Parker’s trainer, Andy Lee, who was nominated for the trainer of the year, is optimistic about Parker’s chances, citing Parker’s history of defying expectations, such as his victories over Wilder and Zhang when they were favored to win.
Dubois has dismissed the notion that he is underestimating Parker, insisting his focus is solely on his upcoming opponent. Dubois has recently experienced a resurgence, recovering from a severe eye injury against Joyce and a controversial loss to Usyk in 2023. He has since defeated Jarrell Miller, stopped Filip Hrgovic, and knocked out Joshua in a stunning bout at Wembley.
While Dubois possesses tremendous power, Parker’s speed, reflexes, and footwork give him an edge. Parker, training in Dublin with Lee, is confident in their strategy and eager to deliver a strong performance.
“We’ll develop a game plan, and when I execute it, it will be a fantastic night for us,” Parker said.
