Fabio Wardley defeat to Daniel Dubois would not put off Anthony Joshua, says Clarke
Anthony Joshua should map out a rematch with Daniel Dubois before he has even faced Tyson Fury in Cardiff, says a former sparring partner, while promoter Frank Warren wants Dubois to face the winner.
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Anthony Joshua should be planning a rematch with Daniel Dubois as the second part of a two-fight plan that starts with beating Tyson Fury, according to his former Team GB sparring partner Clarke.
Joshua, 37, meets Fury, 38, in Cardiff on Friday 11 December, with the WBA heavyweight title controversially on the line. Dubois, the 29-year-old WBO champion, is lined up for the winner after stopping Fabio Wardley in two rounds, and Warren is ready to make an all-English unification fight.
Clarke, who sparred Joshua for years at Team GB's base in Sheffield, said on a podcast that Joshua and Fury could look at Dubois and see a dangerous opponent, particularly now that both are businessmen as much as fighters. He added that he does not see either man as the type to avoid a challenge, and that fighters tend to be fearless to the point of naivety.
He said Dubois's win over Wardley would not put off a motivated Joshua. If he were in Joshua's position, Clarke said, he would be targeting Fury first and Dubois next, and he suggested Joshua could be pleased to see Dubois win because it sets up a much bigger fight. He said the same route would be open to Fury if he came through the Cardiff bout in good shape.
Dubois knocked Joshua out in the fifth round in September 2024. Joshua has since beaten Jake Paul and Kristian Prenga.
Warren said he expects Fury to beat Joshua, but believes Dubois would have Joshua's number if Joshua won. He described a Fury-Dubois fight as one that would be outstanding, calling Fury a tough fighter who can box, punch and think in the ring, while acknowledging Fury is late in his career.
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