Swedish heavyweight Otto Wallin has tipped Anthony Joshua to overcome Daniel Dubois in their upcoming IBF title fight at Wembley Stadium tonight.
As Joshua prepares for his 13th career world title bout, Wallin, who fought and lost to Joshua last December, believes the British fighter’s power and experience will be too much for Dubois to handle.
Joshua has rebounded from back-to-back defeats to Oleksandr Usyk, solidifying his status as one of the top heavyweights in the sport. Since those losses, he has racked up victories against Jermaine Franklin, Robert Helenius, Francis Ngannou, and Wallin.
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Wallin, who was stopped by Joshua in the fifth round of their contest, has firsthand experience of the former champion’s devastating power.
Reflecting on his own fight with Joshua, Wallin praised the Watford-born star’s punching ability, which he believes will play a decisive role in the showdown with Dubois.
“I think Dubois and Joshua will be a good fight,” Wallin said in an interview with Action Network.
“But you can’t take Joshua’s shots for long. His punch is very, very hard. If Dubois comes out like he did against Hrgovic, taking too many one-two punches, I think Joshua wins by knockout before round five.”
However, Wallin acknowledged that if Dubois tightened up his defence and lands a few strong shots of his own, the fight could become more competitive.
Former world champion Tony Bellew echoed Wallin’s sentiments, predicting that Joshua would knock out Dubois. Speaking to Express in an interview arranged by AceOdds, Bellew said, “I think AJ knocks him out. Everything Dubois does, AJ does a little bit better.”
Bellew also noted Dubois’ recent improvement in resilience, having shown more durability in his recent fights, despite earlier questions about his toughness. “Dubois has shown a lot of resolve lately,” Bellew added.
“He’s willing to stick it out more now, but I still don’t think that’ll be enough against someone like Anthony Joshua.”
While praising Dubois’ progress, especially after his loss to Oleksandr Usyk, both Wallin and Bellew agree that Joshua’s experience, power, and technical edge make him the favourite in this eagerly anticipated Wembley clash.
