Joshua will decide Dubois bout – Okolie

WBC Bridgerweight World Champion Lawrence Okolie believes Anthony Joshua’s performance will largely determine the outcome of his next month’s IBF heavyweight title clash with Daniel Dubois.

According to the Nigerian-born British pugilist, who has sparred with both fighters, Joshua’s consistency will be key to winning the bout.

Joshua will battle Dubois for the IBF heavyweight title on September 21 at Wembley Stadium in a potentially explosive showdown that is occasioned by Oleksandr Usyk vacating the title following his victories over Joshua and Dubois due to a mandatory rematch with Tyson Fury.

Dubois, who recently claimed the title by defeating Filip Hrgovic, will defend his belt against Joshua in what will be a high-stakes showdown.

In his analysis, Okolie praised both fighters’ abilities but emphasised that Joshua’s consistency could be the deciding factor.

“Dan, I have much respect for him. We’ve trained together, and from an objective standpoint, he’s someone you can’t underestimate. He’s got serious power, grit, and determination.

“But if Joshua can maintain one thing, consistency, using his long, straight punches effectively, he should come out on top,” Okolie said.

Okolie highlighted two critical moments in Dubois’ career: his stoppage loss to Joe Joyce and his tumultuous victory over Kevin Lerena.

Against Lerena, Dubois was knocked down three times in the opening round before eventually winning, while he suffered an eye socket injury that led to him taking a knee in the Joyce bout.

“We’ve seen it happen a few times with Dan. In the Joe Joyce fight and the Kevin Lerena fight, there were moments where you could spot a weakness in his armour. Despite all his strength and power, if you stay consistent, I think you can get the job done. And AJ, out of all the heavyweights, is known for his consistency. That’s why I’m leaning towards him,” Okolie added.

The upcoming fight is expected to draw massive attention, with Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority seeking to increase the capacity at Wembley Stadium due to high ticket demand.

The fight, part of Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh season, aims to set a record for the largest boxing attendance at Wembley, surpassing the previous record of 94,000 set during Tyson Fury’s 2022 victory over Dillian Whyte.