Anthony Joshua challenges Daniel Dubois for the IBF world heavyweight title at Wembley Stadium on Saturday September 21, live on Sky Sports Box Office; Riyadh Season: Joshua vs Dubois also features Joshua Buatsi, Josh Kelly and Tyler Denny on a packed undercard
Sunday 15 September 2024 17:35, UK
Anthony Joshua would embrace a future fight with Tyson Fury or Oleksandr Usyk.
It could also be his opportunity to become an undisputed world heavyweight champion.
Fury and Usyk will rematch in December for the WBC, WBA and WBO titles, while the Riyadh Season: Joshua vs Dubois event on September 21, live on Sky Sports Box Office, presents Joshua with the chance to become a world titlist for a third time.
The pressure for the winners of these two heavyweight bouts to fight and unify all four belts, as Usyk did against Fury in May, will be almost irresistible.
"If they call me to fight them, 100 per cent. It's what I do. Fight. I'll be ready. It'll be an honour to fight them two," Joshua told Sky Sports.
But he added: "I'm not focusing on Usyk and Fury. I'll watch it.
"Let me get past Dubois. We'll see."
Joshua has never been one to shirk a challenge. He accelerated his development to win an Olympic gold medal all the way back in 2012. He won his first world title in 2016. He unified championships against Wladimir Klitschko in 2017, and avenged his loss to Andy Ruiz in 2019.
He has suffered two previous defeats to Usyk, but would welcome a third fight and the chance to get the better of the reigning unified champion.
He believes Usyk will also defeat Fury, a long-standing rival of Joshua's too, a second time. "I think Usyk wins and I'd rather Usyk wins," he said.
Joshua wouldn't back down from completing a trilogy with Usyk. That same attitude sees him risk his status against rising force in the division Dubois.
"I'm just willing to fight anyone. This is my 13th world title fight. So that must mean whoever's at that level or whoever's going to come to that level, I'm going to have to compete with. We're all here to do a job. We're all here as warriors to fight each other," Joshua said.
Wembley Stadium will feel like home for him. He enjoyed one of the greatest nights of his career when he defeated Klitschko the first time he headlined there.
Joshua won't dwell on those memories though. "This is a different beast in Daniel, completely different animal. But in terms of memories, it'll bring back memories of going to the well, not giving up, staying consistent," he said.
But he added: "I want to do something completely different this fight."
His goal is to do "a job, focusing, completing a mission. Then after that a championship belt comes home with me and everything else that comes with it.
"But no emotion. A job and a mission that needs to be completed."
Anthony Joshua's heavyweight showdown with Daniel Dubois takes place on Saturday September 21 live on Sky Sports Box Office. Book Joshua v Dubois now!
