Boxing superstar Anthony Joshua will face fellow Brit Daniel Dubois in London this weekend. The fight at Wembley Stadium will not only electrify the boxing-mad island, but will also see two absolute knockout experts face off. sport.de answers all the important questions about the “Battle of Britain”
Joshua vs. Dubois – when and where will the fight take place?
The fight will take place on Saturday evening, September 21, at Wembley Stadium in London and will set a record. The English football temple is sold out with 96,000 spectators; never before has a fight taken place in front of a larger crowd in the motherland of boxing. The previous top record was the duel between Tyson Fury and Dillian Whyte in April 2022, which took place in front of 94,000 spectators at Wembley.
However, the 96,000 fans are not a European record. More than 100,000 people saw Max Schmeling’s victory over Walter Neusel in Hamburg in 1934.
What is Joshua vs Dubois about?
For the IBF world championship and thus one of the four major, recognized titles. Oleksandr Usyk gave up the red and gold belt after his victory over Tyson Fury in June – as a “gift” for Joshua and Dubois, as the Ukrainian joked.
In response to Usky’s decision, the IBF upgraded Dubois – who was already “interim” world champion after his victory against Croatian Filip Hrgovic – to full champion status. Joshua will therefore enter the ring in London as a challenger. The 34-year-old can write boxing history and win a recognized world title for the third time in his career. Only Muhammad Ali, Lennox Lewis and Evander Holyfield have managed this so far.
IBF or not – the legitimate champion of all classes will remain Oleksandr Usyk after September 21st. For Joshua and Dubois, it is therefore primarily a question of challenger rights. Whoever wins has the best chance of facing the winner of the rematch between Usyk and Tyson Fury (December 21st).
Who is behind the Battle of Britain?
Saudi Arabia’s boxing impresario Turki Al-Sheikh. The head of the Saudi entertainment authority has almost inexhaustible funds and is currently trying to get prize boxing under his control. To do this, he has brought together the long-standing rival English promoters Frank Warren and Eddie Hearn, who are staging the duel in Wembley under the banner of the Saudi entertainment brand “Riyadh Season”. Al-Sheikh is, of course, in charge – everything dances to the tune of the 43-year-old.
Who is the favorite?
Definitely Joshua. The former world champion (28 wins, 25 of them by knockout, 3 losses) has significantly more experience than the 26-year-old Dubois and is also more technically adept. Almost all experts agree: everything Dubois can do, “AJ” can do at least a little better. But Joshua should not underestimate his compatriot. Dubois throws a hard left jab and has knockout power in both fists – “Dynamite” won 20 of his 23 professional fights early.
What makes the fight so exciting?
The momentum that both fighters have on their side and their punching power. Dubois came back after his knockout loss to Usyk in the summer of 2023 with (unexpected) victories over Jarrell Miller (USA) and the highly touted Hrgovic and has the upper hand. Joshua also found his way back on track after his second defeat against Usyk in 2022. With trainer Ben Davison, he recently seemed like the controlled, aggressive knockout machine of earlier days.
How much money do Joshua and Dubois make?
According to “sportysalaries.com”, superstar Joshua will receive a guaranteed purse of six million pounds (7.12 million euros), while Dubois will pocket up to 3.5 million pounds (4.16 million euros).
Of the big pay-per-view pie, 60 percent will go to Joshua, who will collect around 20 million pounds (23.75 million euros) from an estimated 850,000 ticket purchases (in England alone!). Dubois is expected to earn around eight million pounds (9.5 million euros) – by far his career best.
Where can the fight be seen in Germany?
The streaming provider DAZN* will broadcast Joshua vs. Dubois live on pay-per-view on Saturday, September 21st. Anyone who wants to see the fight must purchase a pay-per-view ticket in addition to an existing DAZN subscription. The price is 19.99 euros. The main fight is expected to start at around 11:30 p.m.
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Source: www.sport.de
