Daniel Dubois: Eddie Hearn reflects on Anthony Joshua's altercation with Daniel Dubois: “He wanted to get his hands on him and kill him”

Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois are scheduled to fight for the IBF heavyweight title on 21 September. They almost came to blows during their first meeting earlier this week. Dubois commented that he was "ready to go now," and his upcoming opponent did not take those words lightly, as tension rose to a palpable level.

Having never been one to play up for the cameras, 'AJ' clearly did not appreciate his opponent's attempt to do so.

Footage of the incident was recently uploaded to YouTube by Matchroom Boxing.

Watch the footage below:

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Joshua's promoter, Eddie Hearn, the chairman of Matchroom Boxing, has now reflected on his client's tense exchange with the interim IBF world champion. Hearn was recently interviewed by iFL TV, where he discussed the sit-down, saying this:

"When someone says the words to 'AJ', 'We'll go now,' or, 'Do you want to go now?' That's one of the few times you see the switch flick with him. I've seen it before, Dominic Breazeale, remember? Otto Wallin said to him, 'I'll fight you now.' And [Joshua] is like, 'Don't f**king [say that].'"

He continued:

"And it was kind of like a throwaway comment from Dubois... And [Joshua] stood up and he wanted to get his hands on him. Which is great! I'll tell you what 'AJ' was up to there, he wanted to get his hands on him and kill him on the spot, because he's a bad motherf**ker."

Watch Hearn reflect on Anthony Joshua's recent incident below (7:35):

Anthony Joshua opens up on recent incident with Daniel Dubois

The IBF heavyweight world title was vacated by Oleksandr Usyk voluntarily, negating the need for him to be stripped by the sanctioning body for not fighting the IBF mandatory challenger next - Daniel Dubois.

With Usyk and Fury scheduled to clash in a rematch in December, the Ukrainian was unable to accept a fight with Dubois due to contractual obligations.

Thus, Anthony Joshua and 'Dynamite' will go to war for the now-vacant title. After the fight was officially announced, the pair sat down across from one another, where tensions almost boiled over.

'AJ' has now reflected on the viral incident while speaking to iFL TV, saying this:

"He's like, 'Let's go, let's fight.' This, that... There's a difference between boxing and Queensbury rules, and fighting in a hall. I'll pick up a chair and smash it over your face. Just relax."

Watch Anthony Joshua's interview below (0:40):

About the author

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.

Liam strives to report precise and relevant information by cross-checking his work, reaching out to relevant sources for comments, and adhering to Sportskeeda's guidelines. His work has been recognized on popular MMA platforms, with his article headlines featuring in YouTube recaps and appearing onscreen during an episode of The Joe Rogan Experience.

Outside of work, Liam enjoys playing cricket, practising Brazilian jiu-jitsu, cooking, music, and reading.

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Edited by C. Naik