Boxing

ANTHONY JOSHUA will have a pair of ringside distractions waiting for him when he fights Daniel Dubois, claimed Frank Warren.Joshua challenges for Dubois’ IBF belt on Saturday in what is set to be a British-record 96,000 sellout at Wembley.Anthony Joshua ahead of his fight with Daniel DuboisCredit: ReutersDubois’ Hall of Fame promoter Frank WarrenCredit: PAAnd among the never-before-seen numbers of fans will be Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk. The pair – set to rematch in Saudi Arabia on December 21 – will have front row seats for the world title fight. And promoter Warren believes it could be at the detriment of AJ. He told Sky Sports: “Usyk will be there, as will be Tyson, but I don’t think it’s anything for [Dubois]. It could be a distraction for AJ as he has beaten AJ twice. READ MORE IN BOXING”Usyk is the man at the moment, he’s the guy who is top of the tree, and these two are trying to get the winner of the rematch between Tyson and Usyk.”They know how important this fight is, and as I say, I believe the winner of this will fight the winner of the fight in December.”Usyk, 37, became the heavyweight division’s first four-belt undisputed champion after beating Fury, 36, in May. But his unified status did not last long after he was forced to vacate the IBF belt to proceed with a rematch against the Gypsy King. Most read in BoxingJoshua 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 DuboisCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSDubois, 27, was elevated from interim champ and makes his first defence against Joshua, 34. Talk has turned to a stunning super-fight between AJ and Fury next year – regardless of results in their interim bouts. Watch awkward moment Daniel Dubois bizarrely interrupts Anthony Joshua and gets death stare in press conferenceBut Warren argues it could be Dubois who is next for Fury or Usyk. The Hall of Famer said: “He’s ready to fight Usyk again, I really do believe that. “Having come out of the fight, shared the ring with him and knowing what happened last time, I really do believe he’s ready.”AJ vs Dubois: Build up to the big fightANTHONY JOSHUA and Daniel Dubois go head-to-head at Wembley THIS Saturday.Ahead of the all-British heavyweight showdown, here’s all the biggest stories and need-to-know information…Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury will be ringside at WembleyCredit: GettyJoshua facing off with DuboisCredit: Getty More

ANTHONY JOSHUA was once floored by a 6ft 9in giant in sparring, his former training partner claimed. AJ returns on Saturday in what is expected to be a British-record 96,000 sellout at Wembley Stadium. Anthony Joshua during a sparring sessionHe challenges ex-sparring partner Daniel Dubois for the IBF heavyweight world champion. It comes years after Dubois was rumoured to have flattened AJ in a now-infamous session at Team GB’s Sheffield HQ. Joshua has been forced to deny being dropped but conceded he was at least stunned by a left hook. Anthony Fowler – a 2016 Olympian who trained alongside the both – spoke out to say he was there and saw AJ’s legs turn to jelly. READ MORE IN BOXINGFowler – who has since retired – further claimed that Kazakh Ivan Dychko also had Joshua in a world of trouble in sparring. He told talkSPORT: “I remember Ivan Dychko dropped Joshua. And David Price knocked Joshua down really heavily, he really hurt Joshua.“That Kazakh lad dropped him once, but it was more of a flash knockdown. And Dubois hurt him as well.“So I’ve seen him hurt three times but it is heavyweight boxing so it doesn’t matter who you are, if you get hit flush on the chin you could go over.”Most read in BoxingJoshua 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 DuboisCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSJoshua admitted to being decked by 6ft 8in Price, 41, but denied ever hitting the canvas with Dubois. Interestingly, AJ beat Dychko in the semi-finals of the 2012 Olympics on his route to winning a heroic gold in the capital. How rumours of Anthony Joshua being ‘carried out of the ring’ with Daniel Dubois fulled bitter bout years in the makingMeaning he was supposedly floored by the European just before beating him in the Games. Fowler, 33, said: “That was in the amateurs, we were all sparring with the Kazakhstanis, and they were all wearing smaller gloves.“They were all wearing competition gloves, and we were all wearing big gloves.“I sparred that Serik Sapiyev, and he done me in mate. He had a pair of 10oz gloves on and I had pillows on my hands.ANTHONY JOSHUA VS DANIEL DUBOIS: All the information you need ahead of huge world title fight at Wembley“It was sparring before the Olympics. Joshua was loading up and I think he got caught with a one-two and it was a flash knockdown.“Not many people were there, it was just a spar but I remember it.”Joshua, 34, awkwardly brought up the sparring session with Dubois, 27, at the press conference. said: “He cracked me with a great shot and it’s my chance to get him back on Saturday.READ MORE SUN STORIESHe said: “I’m looking forward to it. We sparred hundreds of rounds, innit?”Dubois said: “It’s sparring. Now we’re fighting, it’s different. Move on now. We can move on now. Move on.”Daniel Dubois and Joshua had an awkward press conference exchangeCredit: Reuters More

DANIEL DUBOIS’ coach has spoken out amid his absence ahead of the fight with Anthony Joshua to deny “vicious” rumours of a split.Dubois defends his IBF heavyweight world title against AJ on Saturday in what is expected to be British-record 96,000 sellout. Daniel Dubois’ trainer Don Charles responded to rumours of a rift in the campCredit: Richard Pelham / The SunAnthony Joshua facing off with DuboisCredit: ReutersBut ahead of the Wembley war, his head trainer Charles has been missing from all the fight week media activities. It led to speculation of a rift in the camp and a sensational split just days before the fight. But Charles insisted – as have Dubois’ team all week – that he has been ill and chose to stay away from his star fighter as a precaution. He said on talkSPORT: “I’ve been bedridden for the last five days.READ MORE IN BOXING”We finished camp successfully like a week ago. And then on Sunday, I felt not feeling very well.”It’s a head cold, but a very bad head cold and I’ve been in bed literally trying to shake it off.”The most sensible thing to do was not to go anywhere near my fighter because can you imagine if I gave this to him? Then there will be no fight.”So, like I said, the most sensible thing is what we did.Most read in BoxingAJ vs Dubois: Build up to the big fightANTHONY JOSHUA and Daniel Dubois go head-to-head at Wembley THIS Saturday.Ahead of the all-British heavyweight showdown, here’s all the biggest stories and need-to-know information…CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERS”I spoke to his father, and we obviously decided the most sensible thing to do is stay away and not give this to anybody because this could easily spread right through our camp.”And then, God knows who else can contract it and then it jeopardises this big show.”Watch awkward moment Daniel Dubois bizarrely interrupts Anthony Joshua and gets death stare in press conferenceThere had been allegations of a fallout between coach Charles and Dubois’ influential father and manager Stan. Former boxer-turned-media personality Spencer Fearon added fuel to the fire by claiming there had been a rift. And promoter Frank Warren also 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.”If Daniel caught it on Saturday, the symptoms won’t hit him until the following day.”But Charles was quick to put to bed any suggestion of civil war in the camp.The family and the training staff were very, very tight. So this fall out stuff, it’s all ludicrous. It’s a vicious lie.Don Charles He said: “There’s a few individuals, for whatever reason, they went around spreading bad, vicious rumours that there’s been a fall out.”No, there has not been any fall out. I hate to disappoint them. We’re very, together [as a] team.”The family and the training staff were very, very tight. So this fall out stuff, it’s all ludicrous. It’s a vicious lie.”Charles confirmed he WILL be in the corner for Dubois – so long as he can fight off his illness. He said: “I’m a godfearing man. I will always say if God gives us help then 100 per cent I will be in his corner, that’s the plan.” In Charles absence, assistant trainer and padman Kieran Farrell has been leading the charge while receiving instructions on the phone. Charles revealed: “We have a routine, every set-up has a routine. “We have a fight week routine. Basically, my team members they all know what we do.READ MORE SUN STORIES”And I’m on the phone first thing in the morning and they know what to do with the fighter.”The fighter knows what to do so collectively, they’re able to do it.”Dubois with trainer CharlesCredit: Getty More