Daniel Dubois Ready To ‘Steal The Show’ Against Joseph Parker On Saturday

IBF heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois of London, England (22-2, 21 KOs) seeks to take the spotlight when he makes his second title defense against Joseph Parker of Auckland, New Zealand (35-3, 23 KOs) Saturday at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The heavyweight clash is set as the co-main event to a card headlined by a rematch between undisputed light heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol.

“I can’t let him (Parker) take mine,” Dubois told Ade Oladipo of DAZN. “I’m leaving with my belt. That’s my whole objective, my mindset.”

Dubois is currently in his second heavyweight title reign after he previously held the WBA (Regular) title before a controversial knockout loss against then undisputed heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk of Simferopol, Ukraine (23-0, 14 KOs) in August 2023. Since the defeat, the London native has won three consecutive fights by stoppage. 

Dubois Far From Done At Heavyweight

Following a tenth-round TKO win against Jarrell Miller of Brooklyn (26-1-2, 22 KOs) in December 2023, Dubois continued the momentum as he defeated Filip Hrgovic of Zagreb, Croatia (17-1, 14 KOs) by TKO in the eighth round for the vacant IBF interim title in in June 2024. 

With cuts above both of Hrgovic’s eyes bleeding badly about one minute into the round, the ringside physician advised referee John Latham to call a stop to the contest.

“Dynamite” was elevated to full IBF champion after Usyk vacated the title and made his first title defense against former unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua of Watford, England (28-4, 25 KOs) last September. In a shocking upset, the heavy underdog Dubois battered up the favorite Joshua, as he landed 79 total punches compared to the challenger’s 32 total. 

“AJ” hit the canvas for the fourth time in the fifth round after a counter right hand from the defending champion put him face down. Referee Marcus McDonell stopped the fight as a shaken-up Joshua failed to rise to his feet, handing Dubois the knockout win.

“I’m gonna steal the show and show why I’m the best,” said Dubois. “And just keep building, keep climbing that ladder. And go all the way to the top. And just get through Saturday.”

Parker Determined To Become A Two-Time World Champion

It’s been nearly seven years since Parker last held a heavyweight world title. The native of New Zealand captured his first world championship with a majority decision win over Andy Ruiz Jr. for the vacant WBO title in December 2016. 

He made two defenses of the title and lost a unanimous decision to then-WBA (Super), IBF, and IBO heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua in March 2018.

“This is the biggest fight in my career,” said Parker. “It’s the opportunity to fight for the championship of the world again. But also because of the opponent that I have and the way that he’s (Dubois) performed. That’s why I say this is the toughest fight.”

Parker hasn’t tasted defeat since an eleventh-round knockout loss to Joe Joyce of London, England (16-3, 15 KOs) for the vacant WBO interim title in September 2022. He has bounced back with five consecutive victories since the loss.

The former WBO heavyweight champion pulled off huge upsets in his last two wins against former WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder in December 2023 and Zhilei Zhang for the WBO interim title last March. 

He will seek to defy the odds for the third time as he enters the championship fight as the underdog against the favorite Dubois. A victory can set up a showdown with the current unified heavyweight champion, Usyk, who has expressed his interest in taking on the winner.

“I just want to go out there and perform,” said Parker. “I know there’s big fights out there. And I know there’s other names, and other belts. But none of that matters unless we get this right. And I am going to get this right.”