EXCLUSIVE
Simon Jordan tells Daniel Dubois’ trainer to ‘grow up’ after ‘ridiculous comparison’ to Muhammad Ali before Anthony Joshua fight
Simon Jordan has responded to Don Charles after he compared his charge Daniel Dubois to Muhammad Ali.
Dubois is set to take on the biggest fight of his life as he prepares to face Anthony Joshua at Wembley Stadium on September 21, in a maiden defence of his IBF heavyweight world title.
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Critics have swarmed around 'DDD' after his performance against Filip Hrgovic, where he won in sensational fashion, but took some huge shots along the way.
Dubois' trainer Don Charles insists the talented young heavyweight will cause an upset and make his mark on Joshua.
"These experts no disrespect to then, they undermine my profession as a coach," Charles told talkSPORT host Jim White.
"The coaches know better, talk is cheap. My fighter will demonstrate in September while you are wrong.
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"When the late Muhammad Ali beat Sonny Liston, he was written off all by the experts but he made it quite an easy fight.
"It was based on the fact Liston was beating everyone at the time, and he proved everyone wrong.
"You are going to all witness it again."
Heavyweight boxer Frazer Clarke, who spent years sparring Anthony Joshua reveals that Daniel Dubois hits harder than AJ as he previews their much anticipated fight
But talkSPORT presenter Jordan was not happy with the similarities drawn to Ali's upset win over Sonny Liston in 1964.
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Jordan responded: "Having a different opinion based on conventional thinking is not undermining anybody.
"It is just having a different opinion so grow up, and I don't think you should be comparing Daniel Dubois to the then Cassius Clay [Muhammad Ali].
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"I think that's a ridiculous comparison. Daniel Dubois is not a paper champion, he has beaten by Filip Hrgovic for the IBF title.
"He is a legitimate IBF champion, on paper Daniel Dubois brings a lot to the fight he has a lot of power and was the fighter we were all talking about two or three years ago.
"Then he ran into Joe Joyce and it changed of his perception. But he has rebuilt, although there was nothing impressive against Trevor Bryan or Kevin Lerena.
Heavyweight boxer Frazer Clarke, who spent years sparring Anthony Joshua reveals that Daniel Dubois hits harder than AJ as he previews their much anticipated fight
"But his win over Filip Hrgovic is a different beast entirely. If Anthony Joshua is at 90 per cent of what he was, then he will beat Daniel Dubois.
"He is a better fighter, a wiser fighter and a more experienced fighter and that is why he'll beat him."
Ali famously conquered Liston in a legendary showdown, where his rival was forced to retire on his stool as he became heavyweight champion for the first time in his career.
The pair rematched the following year in 1965 and Ali seemingly dispatched of Liston in one round, with a punch that was nicknamed the 'phantom punch'.
Dubois comes into the contest as a significant underdog, and a win over Joshua would be a damaging blow to his rival's heavyweight credentials.
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