Anthony Joshua ready to suffer as he eyes third world heavyweight title

Anthony Joshua has warned Daniel Dubois he is willing to suffer in the ring in his pursuit of becoming a three-time world heavyweight champion.

Joshua faces IBF title holder Dubois in front of a British record 96,000 crowd at Wembley on Saturday with the aim of earning a shot against the winner of Tyson Fury’s December rematch with Oleksandr Usyk.

Defeats to Andy Ruiz and Usyk have forced the 34-year-old to rebuild his career and, while he views big-punching rival Dubois as a dangerous opponent, he insists his determination sets him apart.

“I’ve been to the well. Dan’s fighting someone who is willing to die in there, who wants to give it everything to be victorious,” Joshua said.

“The thing with fighting is this – it takes more than being strong to be a champion and to be a complete fighter.

“It’s good of course, but I truly believe from what I’ve studied, read and what great people who have come before me have said, it takes more than being a physical specimen.

“That’s a good attribute, but when you come across someone who is willing to take that from you, you’ve given them your best shot and they are able to take it, that’s when you figure out what it takes to be a champion. That’s what I’ve done.”

Even if Joshua joins greats such as Muhammad Ali, Lennox Lewis and Evander Holyfield by becoming world heavyweight champion for the third time, he will still be doing the household chores the following morning.

“Do you know what’s crazy? On Sunday you wake up and it’s the same,” he said ahead of his second fight of the year, having brutally knocked out Francis Ngannou in March.

I exist in a realm where all things are possible. pic.twitter.com/xVu0e3NeLm

— Anthony Joshua (@anthonyjoshua) September 17, 2024

“Your bills still