Simon Jordan isn’t persuaded Anthony Joshua is back to his best.
Several boxing insiders claimed Joshua had lost his fire after being knocked out by Andy Ruiz in 2019 and then losing twice to Oleksandr Usyk in 2021 and 2022.
Joshua and Dubois will battle for the IBF heavyweight gold this summer.
In his first two comeback bouts after losing to Usyk, the Watford behemoth appeared afraid to fight against Jermaine Franklin and Robert Helenius.
Recent stoppage victory over Otto Wallin and Francis Ngannou have fueled speculation that the British fighter retains his merciless streak.
Jordan, however, remains doubtful.
Joshua will fight Daniel Dubois for the IBF heavyweight title on September 21 at Wembley Stadium, known as ‘Triple D’.
Similar doubts were raised about Dubois when he received ten counts against Usyk and Joe Joyce on one knee.
However, like Joshua, his public view has transformed as a result of his previous two outings, a pair of tough victories over Jarrell Miller and Filip Hrgovic.
The storyline leading up to this bout is that Joshua is ‘completely rehabilitated’ and thus a solid favourite.
However, Jordan believes AJ has more to prove before such a decision can be reached.
A lot has been made about Joshua’s performances post-Ruiz and Usyk
Jordan has his doubts about whether Joshua is back to his ruthless best.
“I think it’s a fascinating fight,” he said during the talkSPORT White and Jordan show on Tuesday afternoon.
“I don’t go with the camp that suggests that Anthony Joshua is fully rehabilitated, because ultimately he’s fought fighters that haven’t really hit him back at this moment in time.
“Jermaine Franklin had a little go, but ultimately [Robert] Helenius got knocked out without landing a glove on him.
“Wallin was nowhere near him, and with Ngannou Joshua did what should have been done to him by Tyson Fury.
“So I think that if Daniel detonates on him he’ll get PTSD because he’ll take him back to a space where the question is that Anthony Joshua hasn’t wanted to go – deep in the trenches.
“There’s a distinct possibility that Daniel Dubois is going to drag him in there, and if he does, it’s going to be a fascinating fight, because he’s got the power.
“We were writing about this kid three or four years ago, before the Joe Joyce fight, as ‘forget Joshua and forget Tyson Fury, this kid, dynamite, Daniel Dubois is the one to watch’.
“And then we’ve seen the challenges happen…
“I’m not sure he wins this fight but there is a bloody good chance he might.”