Activity in boxing is key. Competition keeps the fighters ready, furthers their stamina and sharpens their skills as they put them to use. Activity improves offensive and defensive awareness and influences self-belief. For Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois, who meet Saturday in London for Dubois' IBF heavyweight title, activity has been the difference maker in the climb back to the top.
Both Joshua and Dubois struggled with setbacks and had to overcome many hurdles. Joshua lost back-to-back fights against Oleksander Usyk but has won four consecutive fights since: three by stoppage, including a knockout-of-the-year performance against Francis Ngannou in March, and his fifth-round destruction of southpaw top contender Otto Wallin in December. Dubois suffered a heartbreaking loss to Usyk, but has recovered to score two impressive victories: an eighth-round TKO over undefeated No. 1 IBF contender Filip Hrgovic in June and a 10th-round TKO win against Jarrell Miller in December.
The greatest thing about these two contenders is their unmatched resilience, determination and self-preservation. Joshua and Dubois are former sparring partners, and their matchup now gets to happen when it matters. Tyson Fury and Joshua are arguably the two biggest names in the U.K. heavyweight landscape and could be lined up for a megafight. However, Dubois can change that narrative with a defeat over Joshua.
Let's look at the Joshua-Dubois matchup -- who has the advantage and how the fight could play out.