Daniel Dubois has tipped Tyson Fury to defeat Anthony Joshua when the British heavyweight rivals finally meet in December, although the reigning heavyweight champion has admitted that choosing a winner is far from straightforward.

Daniel Dubois has added his voice to the debate surrounding one of British boxing’s most anticipated fights, backing Tyson Fury to emerge victorious against Anthony Joshua.

The heavyweight rivals are scheduled to meet on December 11 at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium after years of negotiations, speculation and failed attempts to bring the contest together. The fight is expected to attract enormous global attention, with Netflix set to broadcast the event.

Dubois, who knows Joshua better than most potential commentators after knocking him out in September 2024, believes Fury has the edge.

Speaking to Sky Sports News, Dubois selected Fury when asked for his prediction, while acknowledging the stature of both men.

“I think Fury,” Dubois said, describing the two fighters as legends of British boxing and expressing hope that fans would finally get to see them settle their rivalry in the ring.

His prediction adds another heavyweight voice to a debate that has followed Fury and Joshua throughout their professional careers.

But Dubois’s comments also carry an interesting qualification: he has suggested that the fight is difficult to call, even as he leans towards Fury.

Why Dubois Has Backed Fury

Fury and Joshua have spent years being linked with each other, but their paths have never crossed in a professional bout.

Both have held world heavyweight titles and headlined major events, yet their long-running rivalry has existed largely through negotiations, public exchanges and repeated promises of a future meeting.

For Dubois, the contest represents a collision between two established names in British boxing.

His prediction does not guarantee that Fury will win, nor does it establish that Joshua has lost the qualities required to prevail. It is one fighter’s assessment of a contest involving two experienced heavyweights, each with the power to change a fight with a single punch.

Fury has built much of his reputation around his size, movement, adaptability and ability to make opponents uncomfortable. Joshua, meanwhile, has long been recognised for his punching power and physical strength, although his career has also included difficult defeats and questions about consistency at the highest level.

The outcome may depend on which version of each fighter arrives in Cardiff and how effectively they impose their preferred style.

Dubois has not provided a detailed technical breakdown that conclusively settles those questions. His public choice is Fury, but the uncertainty surrounding the matchup remains part of what makes the contest compelling.

Dubois Knows What It Takes to Beat Joshua

Dubois’s opinion carries particular interest because he has already shared the ring with Joshua.

The two met at Wembley Stadium in September 2024, when Dubois defended his IBF heavyweight title with a fifth-round knockout.

Joshua entered the fight looking to regain a world title, but Dubois produced a powerful performance, dropping his opponent multiple times before finishing the contest in the fifth round.

The victory established Dubois as one of the leading heavyweights of his generation and gave him a defining result against a boxer who had previously ruled the division.

It also means Dubois’s prediction about Fury–Joshua is informed by direct experience of Joshua’s strengths and vulnerabilities in competition.

However, one result cannot determine what will happen in a different fight. Fury presents a different physical and tactical challenge, and Joshua’s preparation, condition and approach will all influence the December contest.

Joshua has also continued his career since the Wembley defeat, meaning the fighter who faces Fury will not necessarily be identical to the man Dubois stopped.

Dubois’s victory remains an important part of the rivalry’s wider context, but Fury will have to produce his own performance if he is to defeat Joshua.

A Fight Years in the Making

The Fury–Joshua matchup has been discussed for much of the past decade.

At different points, the fighters appeared close to agreeing terms, only for negotiations, contractual complications or competing commitments to prevent the contest from happening.

That prolonged anticipation has made the fight commercially attractive, but it has also created a challenge: the bout must now deliver in the ring after years of expectation outside it.

The December 11 date at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium offers a definitive target for a matchup that has often seemed perpetually just out of reach. The event is scheduled to be shown on Netflix, giving it access to a global streaming audience.

Demand has already demonstrated the scale of interest. Reuters reported that tickets sold out within an hour of going on sale, with hundreds of thousands of fans reportedly queuing online.

That demand reflects the commercial appeal of two fighters who have become major figures in British boxing.

Yet the history of the proposed matchup also creates pressure. The contest will be judged not only on who wins, but on whether the actual fight lives up to the years of discussion that preceded it.

For supporters, the attraction is straightforward: two former heavyweight champions, both with substantial punching power, finally meeting to settle a rivalry that has remained unresolved.

Dubois Has His Own Fight to Win First

While the Fury–Joshua debate attracts global attention, Dubois must concentrate on an immediate challenge of his own.

He is scheduled to face Fabio Wardley in a rematch on October 17, with the WBO heavyweight title at stake. The pair previously produced a dramatic contest in May, when Dubois recovered from two knockdowns to stop Wardley in the eleventh round and claim the championship.

The rematch presents a serious test.

Wardley will have the opportunity to correct the mistakes that cost him the first encounter, while Dubois must demonstrate that his victory was not simply the result of surviving a difficult night before finding a decisive finish.

For Dubois, the immediate priority is therefore clear. A prediction about Fury and Joshua may attract headlines, but his own standing in the heavyweight division depends on what happens against Wardley.

A successful title defence could strengthen his position for future blockbuster fights. A defeat, however, would change the conversation around his next steps.

Dubois has also expressed interest in facing the winner of Fury–Joshua, should circumstances allow. Such a matchup could create another major British heavyweight contest, although it would depend on the results of the fighters’ upcoming bouts and subsequent negotiations.

That possibility gives Dubois an additional reason to follow the December showdown closely, even as he prepares for his own assignment.

Prediction Adds to the Heavyweight Debate

Dubois choosing Fury gives supporters another talking point ahead of December, particularly because of his previous victory over Joshua.

But the prediction should be treated as an opinion rather than a reliable forecast of the result.

Fury’s experience, movement and ability to adapt could prove important, while Joshua’s power means he cannot be discounted. The tactical details will become clearer as fight week approaches and both camps reveal more about their preparations.

The longer-term question is whether either man can impose his strengths consistently over the course of the contest.

Fury may seek to use his size and movement to control distance and disrupt Joshua’s rhythm. Joshua will likely want opportunities to land clean power shots and make his physical advantages count. Those are potential tactical considerations, not guarantees of how either fighter will approach the fight.

Ultimately, the winner will be determined in the ring rather than by predictions made beforehand.

For now, Dubois has made his choice: Fury.

The prediction adds another layer to a fight that has already generated enormous interest, but both men must still complete their preparations before the contest becomes reality.

And before Dubois can seriously consider a future meeting with the winner, he must first get past Wardley.

GUZ Sport verdict: Dubois’s backing gives Fury another vote of confidence, but Joshua’s power and experience make the December showdown difficult to reduce to a simple prediction. The heavyweight rivalry will finally have its answer in the ring—provided both fighters arrive as scheduled.

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