Anthony Joshua tried but failed to intimidate IBF heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois during a face-to-face interview on DAZN to promote their Sept. 21 PPV bout at Wembley Stadium. Dubois was unfazed by Joshua's two attempts to intimidate him during the interview.
Joshua loses his cool
According to commentator Ade Oladipo, Dubois' camp will be pleased that Daniel defended himself against the older former two-time heavyweight champion Joshua (28-3, 25 KOs).
The 34-year-old Joshua looked at Dubois during the interview and said he couldn't wait to fight him. The way AJ looked at Dubois seemed designed to elicit a submissive, cowed response from the 26-year-old Joshua.
If Joshua can gain a psychological advantage from these actions, he will be able to continue to outplay Dubois with one down, and AJ could use that to overpower him when they meet on September 21st.
“I've seen comments like, 'Joshua tried to bully him, but Dubois didn't take it.' But I'd like to take it. Dubois stood up for himself. That's it. [Daniel’s trainer] Don [Charles] “I'd love to see it,” Ade Oladipo told Seconds Out, regarding AJ's attempt to intimidate Oladipo during a face-to-face interview with Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois last week.
Joshua lost his cool when Dubois got to his feet and AJ threatened to hit Joshua with a chair. It was highly unlikely Joshua would ever sink to that level, but it seemed like a last-ditch effort to intimidate.
Daniel's team's response
“That's what we expect from Dubois,” Ade said. “'I'm not going to accept it. You can talk to me however you want. I'm the champion. I'm in the top seven or eight at heavyweight now. I'm not here because the British people forced me into this position. I earned this position myself by beating Filip Hrgovic. So I've defeated the boogeyman.'”
If Joshua keeps up his menacing stares and bullish words, he may need to take acting lessons if he wants to scare Dubois. What he's doing now isn't working and it never will. Dubois is overconfident after impressive performances against Filip Hrgovic, Jarrell Miller and Oleksandr Usyk.
“I have a feeling Don and Frank would be happy and Daniel's dad would be happy too. We know Daniel's dad played a big role. He's probably thinking, 'Yeah, my son won't be scared,' and I'm sure the Dubois team will be happy,” Ade said.
