When Anthony Joshua bids for more boxing glory in London on Saturday night it won’t just be all business for Eddie Hearn.
The Matchroom Boxing supremo has promoted the 34-year-old Joshua’s career ever since he turned professional after winning Olympics gold at London 2012.
Since then Joshua (28-3 with 25 wins inside distance) has become a world heavyweight champion on two occasions. And on Saturday night he bids to become only the fifth fighter ever to ascend to the summit three times.
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Joshua will join the likes of Muhammad Ali, Lennox Lewis and Evander Holyfield if he is victorious vs Daniel Dubois in an all-British barnstormer – truly elite company in the rich history of the sport’s marquee weight class.
Hearn on Joshua friendship
Hearn again spoke about his special relationship with Joshua when the pair made their fight week Grand Arrivals in Leicester Square on Tuesday evening, admitting: “I do rank as AJ’s number one fan.
“He’s a friend, I know how hard he’s worked over the years. We’ve had our highs and our lows, and to see him make history as a three-time Heavyweight Champion would be an incredible moment for him and we’d be very proud.”
While Joshua is a hot favourite to become world heavyweight champion for a third time, neither he nor Hearn will be underestimating the challenge posed by the rejuvenated Dubois (21-2).
‘Dynamite’ has stopped both Jarrell Miller and Filip Hrgovic since a failed world title challenge against Oleksandr Usyk in 2023 – and both times he has been out to deep waters to do so. This is a different Dubois now.
Will Dubois handle the big night?
Hearn re-iterated that fact, but also believes there is one big question about the newly-crowned IBF champion that remains. How will he handle the biggest night of his life, with a record boxing crowd of more than 96,000 packed into Wembley Stadium?
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“I think most people believe AJ is the favourite in the fight but Daniel is a very live underdog. He’s dangerous, he punches very hard. It will be interesting to see how he can deal with the occasion and the emotion on the night.
“But like Frank [Warren, promoter of Dubois] said, anything can happen in this fight and that’s the beauty of the Heavyweight division. That’s why 96,000 people will be crammed into Wembley Stadium for an incredible undercard.”
