Daniel Dubois didn’t just predict that he’ll knock out Joe Joyce when they sat across a table from one another recently.
The emerging English heavyweight promised Joyce that he’ll ruin his career Saturday night at Church House in London. After joking Joyce will need a sleeping bag for when he gets knocked cold, Dubois suggested that his huge, hard-hitting opponent won’t be the same once Dubois defeats him.
Dubois (15-0, 14 KOs) and Joyce (11-0, 10 KOs) talked trash throughout BT Sport’s “Face Off: Daniel Dubois vs. Joe Joyce,” a promotional program that premiered recently on the network and its YouTube channel.
“I’m the guy that’s gonna knock you out,” Dubois told Joyce. “I’m the guy that’s gonna knock you out, finish your career. You’re not gonna be the same after this fight.”
The 35-year-old Joyce believes his vast experience as an amateur and pro will separate him from the 23-year-old Dubois. They’ll fight for Dubois’ British Boxing Board of Control title and four other regional championships in a main event BT Sport 1 will televise in the United Kingdom (7:30 p.m. GMT) and ESPN+ will stream in the United States (5 p.m. EST; 2 p.m. PST).
Joyce believes he’ll prove Dubois made a mistake in accepting this dangerous bout “when he gets knocked out and flattened in the later rounds.” The 2016 Olympic silver medalist also admitted this is a real risk for both boxers, when they could’ve pursued easier fights.
“I think it’s like equally [risky],” Joyce said. “It’s like no risk, no reward. From both sides, it’s roughly the same. It’s a 50-50 fight. I obviously think I’m gonna win. Daniel obviously thinks he’s gonna win. It’s gonna be an explosive fight. There’s gonna be punches traded. You know, someone’s gonna go down by the end of the night, and then someone’s gonna have their hand raised. And that’s probably gonna be me.”
Dubois-Joyce finally will take place Saturday night after three postponements caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
It initially was scheduled for April 11 at O2 Arena in London. Then it was rescheduled for July 11 at O2 Arena, only to be delayed again to October 24 at O2 Arena and once more until Saturday at Church House.
Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for BoxingScene.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.
