IBF heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois dismissed challenger Joseph Parker as having “had his day” during their Face Off interview on DAZN ahead of their Riyadh Season co-feature fight next month on February 22nd on the Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol 2 card.
Dubois (22-2, 21 KOs) let the 33-year-old recently rejuvenated former WBO heavyweight champion Parker (35-3, 23 KOs) know that his five-fight winning streak will come to a halt. Parker and his team have made a big deal about his recent wins over 41-year-old Zhilei Zhang and 39-year-old Deontay Wilder.
The win over Zhang was questionable, as Parker was dropped twice in the fight, and it looked like it should have been a defeat under those circumstances. Wilder looked like a ruined fighter after his three fights against Tyson Fury.
So, it’s not surprising that Parker beat him because he looked like a classic example of an old fighter who could no longer pull the trigger. The power was still there for Wilder, but reflexes were 100% gone.
Dubois, 27, is coming off a career-best fifth-round knockout win over former two-time heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua on September 21st at Wembley Stadium in London.
Surprisingly, AJ didn’t even try to avenge his loss by pushing for an immediate rematch, as he had done after his defeats against Oleksandr Usyk and Andy Ruiz. Joshua’s refusal to take the rematch signaled that he or perhaps his promoters didn’t feel he was up to the task.
Daniel Dubois: “He’s been on form for his last couple of fights, but he’s had his day,” said the IBF heavyweight champion to DAZN Boxing, promoting his title defense on February 22nd.
Joseph Parker: “I’ve only just started. My day is coming.”
Dubois: “What about Joe Joyce? What happened?”
Parker: “I was sick. What about Joe Joyce for you?”
Dubois: “It’s different.”
Parker: “He should have knocked me out in the first round. I was sick. I went 11 rounds.”
Dubois: “I’ll rise to the occasion. I’ll be better than him in every department. Strength and speed,”
Coach Andy Lee: “We know what Daniel has. A great jab, great power, and speed, somewhat. He’s not as fast as Joe, and not as good footwork as Joe. What Joe has is intelligence. He’s a clever fighter. That’s how we defused the power of Deontay Wilder, and that’s how we fought and outsmarted Zhang. What people are underestimating is his added size, and you’re going to see it.”
Parker: “I’ve been building away quietly for what’s going to come, and now we have this man.”
Dubois: “I’m ready to fight. It’s the same thing. It’s just a different day.”
Frank Warren: “Neither of them are taking it lightly. It’s all about self-belief.”
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