Anthony Joshua: Eddie Hearn accuses Daniel Dubois of financial motivation behind rumor he KO’d Anthony Joshua in sparring: "It would have got him more money"

Daniel Dubois and Anthony Joshua are set to go to war in an epic clash on Sept. 21 for the IBF heavyweight world title. Their all-British boxing classic will headline a sold-out show at Wembley Arena in London, with a staggering 96,000 people expected to attend the event.

With both fighters hailing from England, the pair have shared many a training room and sparring session. Following the fight's official announcement several months ago, rumors began emerging that 'Dynamite' had knocked Joshua out cold in a sparring session many years ago.

During the pre-fight build up, both men were asked questions about the infamous sparring session. 'AJ' addressed the rumors, acknowledging that Dubois landed a sharp punch but denying that he was put to sleep.

With only a few days left before the highly anticipated heavyweight title clash, Joshua's promoter Eddie Hearn has provided an interesting theory about why Dubois would have told his promoter, Frank Warren, that he KO'd 'AJ'.

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Hearn was recently interviewed by BoxNation, where he said this:

"I reckon if I was Daniel Dubois I would've told Frank Warren that I dropped Anthony Joshua because it would have gotten him more money on his signing bonus. As far as I'm concerned he definitely didn't [drop Joshua]. By the way, if he did, who cares? What was it, eight years ago?"

Watch Eddie Hearn's interview below (0:55):

Eddie Hearn explains the difference in Anthony Joshua ahead of Daniel Dubois clash

Anthony Joshua is arguably at the peak of his powers right now, with the former heavyweight champion in top physical condition to accompany his budding partnership with coach Ben Davison.

According to Joshua's longtime promoter, Eddie Hearn, there is one notable change in the pugilist's mindset ahead of his clash with Daniel Dubois on Sept. 21.

The Matchroom Boxing chairman was recently interviewed by TNT Sports Boxing, and said:

"This is the first time I've really noticed with 'AJ' [an] admittance of a desperation to win. Normally it's very calm, this time it's like, 'I have to win. I have to win this fight.' And he's never talked about the championships... This is the first time he's probably starting to think about the legacy."

Watch Hearn discuss Anthony Joshua ahead of Daniel Dubois clash below (3:25):

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Liam is a MMA and Boxing writer at Sportskeeda. His journey into MMA journalism began with a high school diploma in 2017, but his passion for writing led him to diverse experiences, including internships in research and writing roles and accounting work.

Liam's fascination with MMA was sparked by Conor McGregor, with Dustin Poirier's bout against Dan Hooker in 2020 sealing his love for the sport. Poirier remains Liam's favorite fighter, whom he admires for his attitude, fighting style, and persona both inside and outside the cage. He is an advocate for the removal of the 12-6 elbow rule in MMA.

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Edited by Anurag Mitra