Anthony Joshua, the former two-time world heavyweight champion, is totally focused on his impending September 21 heavyweight title fight against Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium in London.
It has been 3,088 days since the British-Nigerian boxer defeated Charles Martin to win the IBF title for the first time.
He will try to recapture it. The 33-year-old highlighted his “conqueror’s mindset” and put more emphasis on the wider vision, downplaying the importance of regaining the red belt.
“I always say I would always compare and look back when it’s all said and done. At the moment, I’m just very chilled. Everything’s a blessing, so I just get on with it. It’s an opportunity to fight,” Joshua said.
“A win is a win, but for me, it’s all about the journey, not the trophy. The belt doesn’t hold any special significance for me right now. This fight is an opportunity to step closer to the ultimate goal. It’s going to be tough, but I’m focused on winning and moving on to the next challenge.”
The 26-year-old Dubois, who has shown notable development in his stoppage victory over Jarrell Miller and Filip Hrgovic, presented a challenge to the former Olympic gold champion.
“Boxing is a tough business,” Joshua concluded. “But I’m ready. I’ve been here before, and I know what it takes to win. Dubois is a good fighter, but come fight night, it’s just another challenge that I need to overcome.”
During a recent press conference, there was a rift between the two boxers as Dubois refused to be frightened by Joshua’s attempts to show off his experience.With a professional record of 28-3 (25 KOs), Joshua acknowledges Dubois’ demeanor and says, “It’s always been that way. Prefight tension helps me mentally prepare for the bout.” I think that people don’t truly get to know what it’s like to work in our field.
“It’s a very unique job. The glitz and the glamour of it are very unique, but when you strip it down to the core of it, let’s say you’re going to get two men to stand up in the ring in front of people, and we want you to fight for 47 minutes.”
Joshua’s victory might lead to a matchup with the victor of Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury’s forthcoming rematch, maybe for the undisputed heavyweight championship.
The 21-2 (20 KOs) victory against Dubois is another significant step in Joshua’s quest to reclaim his place as the world’s best heavyweight fighter.
