Dubois Wants Itauma Sooner, Citing the Fury-Joshua Wait

Daniel Dubois believes there is a lesson for him and Moses Itauma in the long road to Tyson Fury against Anthony Joshua. If they are going to fight, he says, it should happen sooner rather than later.

Fury and Joshua have been British heavyweight rivals for almost a decade, yet they missed each other at the peak of their careers. They are now due to box in December. Dubois, a two-time world champion, is 29. Itauma is 21 and has already challenged for a world title.

Dubois told Sky Sports he expects Itauma to return to title contention. "Of course he can. He had the whole industry behind him. They won't let him give up I don't think," he said. Dubois called Itauma's fight with Hrgovic "a great fight" and said there is no shame in the result. In his view, Hrgovic showed that someone is always out there with a stronger will, "and he's got kids to feed."

"I want to fight him sooner"

Dubois can see Itauma as a future opponent. "I'm the one experienced in these situations now," the WBO champion said. "I want to fight him sooner. Moses, anyone that can give me a challenge."

He added that he feels ready for the toughest names. "I know how I'll have to break them all down, whoever I get in the ring with next."

Power and past losses

Dubois retained his WBO title in two rounds against Fabio Wardley in their rematch. He says he is the hardest puncher in world boxing and that more is coming. "I don't think I've even touched the surface yet really. I'm just starting to unload properly now," he said.

He says the setbacks earlier in his career shaped him. Those include the stoppage loss to Joe Joyce and two defeats to Oleksandr Usyk. "Who's had a career like mine? Coming back from losses and then banging out good fighters," Dubois said.

He described the way he overwhelmed Wardley simply as determination, "will to win and a little bit crazy." Then he laughed.

Source: Sky Sports