Heavyweight Daniel Dubois says he's “ready” to fight favorite Filip Hrgovic on Saturday night in Riyadh.
Dubois (20-2, 19 KOs) proved the doubters wrong with a major win over Jarrell “Big Baby” Miller in Riyadh last December, winning by 10th round knockout.
Dubois is expected to have a tough fight this Saturday against the 31-year-old Hrgovic (17-0, 14 KOs), as he has the amateur track record and the talent to probably win the fight quite easily.
Usyk's absence fuels Dubois' passion
Many doubt Dubois because he faced IBF/WBC/WBO heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk last August and came close to knocking Dubois out in the fifth round before losing. Usyk knocked Dubois down in the ninth round, finishing him off in that round.
If Dubois wins on Saturday, he'll have a shot at a life-changing payday to face Anthony Joshua and potentially fight for the IBF title.
Hrgovic vs. Dubois will be broadcast live on DAZN PPV from the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Dubois has won five of his last six fights and has been in good form except for his loss to Usyk.
Dubois's confidence and preparation
“He's been on the scene for a long time. He's very young. I thought he showed what he could do in his last fight against Jarrell Miller. He showed what he could do in the press conference with who the father was. It was really good,” boxing commentator Gareth A. Davies told Queensberry about Daniel Dubois.
“I want to play better and better. I'm ready,” Dubois said of his desire to show his strength, passion and grit when he takes on Filip Hrgovic on Saturday night. “I'm ready to let my fists do the talking, get in there and put in the work. No way. Queensberry, we're going to do it. I'm fired up. I'm ready.”
“Daniel Dubois had to fight really hard for 11 or 12 rounds, pounding Jarrell Miller's giant couch. In the sixth or seventh round, his dad and Frank begged him to take on Jarrell Miller, and he did.”
“Jarrell Miller made Daniel Dubois look middle-weight. Jarrell Miller weighs 23 stone and I think Miller will need to force Hrgovic to take the fight seriously. I think Hrgovic has a lot of potential, I think he can step up a gear or two and if Hrgovic can hang on into the later rounds I think Daniel will be a bit worried.
“If he wins the fight he'll face Anthony Joshua, which would be huge.”
“When he landed the first punch on Mark de Mori he did the chicken dance,” Gareth said of Hrgovic, who won by first-round knockout against de Mori last December.
