Hearn Attempts Mind Games Ahead of Joshua-Dubois Showdown

Promoter's Tactics to Unsettle Dubois as Joshua Seeks Redemption

Anthony Joshua is set to face Daniel Dubois in heavyweight clash /

By Moses Ochieng

Eddie Hearn, promoter for Anthony Joshua, is attempting to unsettle IBF heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois ahead of their upcoming fight on Saturday by planting seeds of doubt. Hearn’s tactics are strategic, as Joshua is a key figure for his business, and a loss to Dubois could seriously impact his financial draw.

Hearn has been downplaying Dubois' chances (21-2, 20 KOs), labeling him as the underdog and suggesting he's not on Joshua's level. These comments aim to chip away at Dubois' confidence, potentially making him feel overwhelmed.

Hearn is likely hoping to mentally break Dubois, as some speculate Dubois did in his past losses to Joe Joyce and Oleksandr Usyk. This kind of approach hints at Hearn's desperation, as he's well aware of Joshua's vulnerability after back-to-back defeats by Usyk. If Hearn truly believed in Joshua's ability, he wouldn’t have hesitated to match him against top-tier opponents over the past two years.

“He’s a heavyweight, 6’6″ and about 18 stone. What would you expect for him not to look big and strong? He’s dangerous. People are looking for ways to kind of talk up Daniel Dubois’ chances. You don’t need to. He’s a live underdog, but he’s an underdog, and he’s an underdog for a reason. He’s not as good as Anthony Joshua,” said Eddie Hearn to Matchroom Boxing, talking about Daniel Dubois.

 At this stage, it's unfair to call Dubois an underdog, as he's been competing at a higher level than Joshua and facing tougher opponents. In fact, this matchup could easily be seen as a 50-50 fight, or even 60-40 in Dubois’ favor. Joshua hasn’t demonstrated top-tier performance in years. When was the last time he faced a truly strong opponent? Joshua’s recent competition doesn’t qualify as top-level.

“He’s not a complete fighter like Anthony Joshua, but he’s very dangerous and that’s why people love to tune in to the heavyweights. Anything can happen. You’ve got Dubois trying to slay the King. It’s all very well to talk it, but when you get in there, and you’re around them on fight week. You saw Dubois in the head-to-head,” continued Hearn.

Anthony Joshua is the bookmakers' favorite for this fight. If he secures the win on Saturday, he will become a three-time world heavyweight champion, joining the ranks of boxing legends Muhammad Ali, Lennox Lewis, and Evander Holyfield, who have each claimed the title three times. This would be a remarkable accomplishment for Joshua.