Boxing

DANIEL DUBOIS’ team have been rocked by a pay dispute ahead of tomorrow’s massive fight with Anthony Joshua.Trainer Don Charles missed all this week’s promotional events for Wembley’s IBF heavyweight title showdown in front of 96,000 fans.Daniel Dubois’ trainer Don Charles is sick with flu ahead of this Saturday’s fightCredit: GettyAnthony Joshua and Dubois faced-off on Thursday, with Charles absentCredit: ReutersPromoter Frank Warren has confirmed the cash crisis – but insists Charles was absent from last night’s press conference due to illness.Asked about claims of a huge bust-up between Dubois’ father Stan and trainer Charles, Warren said: “I know there is a situation between them, which was over money.”But that is not my business that’s their business. I spoke to Don, Stan and Daniel.”Don is ill with the flu and in bed. He wanted to come to the weigh-in and I told him not to and to leave it until Saturday.READ MORE ON BOXING”If Daniel caught it on Saturday, the symptoms won’t hit him until the following day.”IBF king Dubois, 27, said: “As long as he is in my corner on fight night, I will be fine. Everything is good.”And turning his attention to Joshua, 34, he added: “I need to take him back to that dark place and make him uncomfortable in there, make him break down in the ring. “He’s ripe for the taking now. I’m on the rise, I’ve got the momentum on my side. Most read in BoxingBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERS”No more words, just fighting, punches. I’m ready to fight and destroy.”Joshua is a heavy favourite to claim his fifth win in as many appearances at Wembley to become a three-time heavyweight champion.Daniel Dubois ‘turned Anthony Joshua’s legs to jelly’ during brutal sparring session, says ex-Team GB boxing starJoshua vs Dubois fight predictions THIS weekend Wembley will witness one of the biggest all-British fights of all-time.But who will emerge victorious under the famous arch? Some of the biggest names in boxing have been having their say…Oleksandr Usyk: “My favourite is Anthony Joshua but I am very bad at predictions. But I will predict Anthony Joshua.”Dillian Whyte: “I just think that it’s one of those fights where it is a genuine 50/50 fight in my opinion.”Joe Joyce: “I was initially edging with Joshua but I don’t know, Dubois is coming on.”Frazer Clarke: “As heavy-handed as Dubois is and as good a fighter as he’s becoming, I still have to go for Joshua.”Francis Ngannou: “Even though Joshua lost against Usyk twice and Dubois fought Usyk and almost knocked him down and almost won, I would still give this to Joshua.”Click here for more fight predictions for Anthony Joshua vs Daniel DuboisAJ said: “The accolades come later. “I’ll be back home on Sunday eating the same breakfast, putting laundry in the basket and going to the same local gym.ANTHONY JOSHUA VS DANIEL DUBOIS: All the information you need ahead of huge world title fight at Wembley”I’m a competitive person and I’ve got competition to deal with on Saturday. I could win in a variety of ways. I’m not depending on punch power.”It takes a lot more than that to be a great fighter. I have the fighter spirit and I’ll break him down.” More

DAVID HAYE has not ruled out a boxing comeback over half a decade on from his last fight. The former cruiserweight and heavyweight champion suffered consecutive defeats to Tony Bellew before retiring. David Haye has not ruled out a boxing comebackCredit: Richard Pelham – The SunHaye suffered a horror ankle injury in the first fight in 2017 but was knocked out in the rematch a year later. The British legend did return in 2021 for an exhibition bout against his friend and former boxer Joe Fournier. Now Haye is refusing to rule out a comeback for real – so long as his infamously brittle body stands up to it. He told on William Hill’s Up Front with Simon Jordan: “It’s not fully closed. READ MORE IN BOXING”If I can get my lower legs to do what I know they can do, which they weren’t able to do for probably since 2016.”If my lower legs can do things I need them to do, I could beat a lot of the guys out there now in the heavyweight division.”Haye called out Tyson Fury, 36, after his glorified sparring session with businessman-turned-boxer Fournier. But now the TV boxing pundit admits he has not got a full 12 rounds in his locker. Most read in BoxingCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSHaye said: “I’m not so stupid to think after all these years I can just jump in against Anthony Joshua or any of those guys, I’d get squashed.”But if I can go through training camps – I’m being 100 per cent serious – if I could and this is a hypothetical. How David Haye is becoming sports biggest ‘heart breaker’ despite ‘rota for throuple hotties’ – & why women fall for him”If I could go through training camps, I couldn’t do a 12-round fight camp physically impossible right now my body would just break down. “But I could do a camp for a six-rounder or an eight-rounder for a certain type of opponent.”Haye has taken up punditry and commentary jobs since hanging up his gloves. While his personal life has also hit the headlines for his various throuple relationships with girlfriend Sian Osbourne. Model Sian Osbourne with HayeCredit: PAThe couple’s throuple relationships hit the headlinesCredit: Instagram @davidhayeHaye and Sian with a group of friends More

ANTHONY JOSHUA heads into his heavyweight title fight against Daniel Dubois as the favourite among fans and bookies. But his potential demise could be hiding in the numbers. Anthony Joshua was first beaten in 2019 by Andy Ruiz JrCredit: AP:Associated PressJoshua twice lost to Oleksandr UsykCredit: GETTYAJ has only ever lost three times, starting with a 2019 upset to Andy Ruiz Jr which he avenged six months later. But after losing to Oleskandr Usyk in 2021, he later failed to win back the unified titles in the rematch a year on. All three defeats followed a similar pattern, with Joshua’s downfall starting near round four. According to stats provided by Compubox, Joshua lands an average of just over 11 punches in round four when he wins – but only six in defeat.READ MORE IN BOXINGHis punch accuracy also dips after the third round whenever he has lost but in victory it is never lower than 30 per cent from the second to 11th.AJ was outpunched 31-23 by Ruiz from the fourth round to the seventh – when he was stopped following FOUR knockdowns. But things looked good after three rounds, having floored Ruiz himself and sharing 25-24 in punches landed. In his first points loss to Usyk, over 12 rounds Joshua had 19.2 per cent punch accuracy, compared to the Ukrainian’s 28 per cent. Most read in BoxingANTHONY JOSHUA VS DANIEL DUBOIS: All the information you need ahead of huge world title fight at WembleyCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSDubois has also suffered defeat to Usyk, losing in round nine which came three years before a 10th-round stoppage to Joe Joyce. He defends his IBF belt – for the first time – but even as champion he is considered the underdog. Daniel Dubois enters the ring for the media workout But, if the stats are to be believed the fight could be decided less than half way into the all-British showdown. Dubois, 27, comes into the bout off the back of two big wins over Jarrell Miller and Filip Hrgovic. Meanwhile Joshua, 34, is on a run of four wins since failing to win back the titles from Usyk, 37, in August 2022. Much has been made of AJ’s newfound form – a throwback to his ruthless prime – as Joshua insisted he has never been better. He said: “I feel better now. I feel better for sure. More seasoned, hardened. A lot more development. “Not so much dependent on one or two things in the ring. I have a lot of tricks up my sleeve. “Been the 12 rounds. My punching power has improved. Defence has improved, yeah I feel good, much better than I used to.”Joshua facing off alongside Daniel DuboisCredit: Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing More