“By an act of will, a man refuses to think of the reasons for fear, and so concentrates entirely on winning the battle.”
Richard Nixon, American politician, 1913-1994,
It has become a forgotten truth that fighters don’t always lose when they lose. Learning lessons in defeat can prove more valuable than the apparent affirmation of victory; punishing the lazy, or the arrogant and affording perspective to those willing to listen to the truths defeats present, losing can be a gift.
A fighter beaten can still return stronger and better for the setback. In the past fighters accepted this and as a result, at least in part, they fought more often because the worry of defeat wasn’t as troublesome as it has become in era when being unbeaten was the preeminent narrative.
Daniel Dubois became a refreshing example of the value of fighting tough opponents and the catharsis of defeat. Against the cocky Croatian Filip Hrgovic on Saturday, in the midst of the latest lurid carnival of lost integrity from Saudi Arabia, he fully delivered on his physical gifts, years of hard work and the humility required to learn from defeat once considered a crippling weakness.
Conversely, Hrgovic finally paid the price for a relaxed outlook which this week appears to have mutated into hubris.
Dubois out punched, out-gutted and out, well, frankly, out-believed the favourite.
The performance was revelatory. But it began curiously. Dubois was dry, no sweat glistening on his skin in the way the old guys would, and while he took centre ring his defence was worryingly porous as he marched forward. Thudding right hands piled into his temple and jaw frequently through the opening rounds as Hrgovic scored heavily from his languid but deceptively punishing style. It seemed impossible the young Londoner could continue to absorb those types of punches, but he did. He was firing back, crucially avoiding the hook that Hrgovic added to the end of every right cross, and enjoying his own success.
After two rounds there was concern watching the Dubois corner, another example of competing voices of which there has been too much of late, and Dubois himself, the dazed student, looking beyond the rope for the reassurance of his Father. Despite his own successes and elevated aggression it didn’t bode well for his chances of prevailing against the guile and bravado of Hrgovic. Don Charles, his head coach, is a vastly experienced voice and strikes most as the perfect foil for Dubois. His work with Chisora evidence of his ability to extract the best of a heavyweight prone to the erratic. Charles’ advice is always simple. In the heat of a thunderous heavyweight bout, with a young heavyweight with a history for losing self-belief sitting before him, simplicity was essential.
Dubois survived. And took those right hands. It was a response Hrgovic hadn’t expected. He’d spent the week denigrating his younger opponent and sought to unnerve him with quips and remarks about Dubois having “no balls” and calling him a baby. That Dubois seemed unmoved and continued toward him must have immediately posed questions in the Croatian’s mind. A fighter who presents in the way naturally gifted but unfulfilled athletes often do; ready, but not quite as ready as he could be.
He continued to land heavy shots, but Dubois combinations coming forward as Hrgovic conceded ground increasingly carried more weight, and impact. Hrgovic was also unsettled by Dubois use of the head, following in behind punches with his shaved head brought back to mind the work of Evander Holyfield. There was no sanction or intervention from the referee and between punches, cuffs of gloves and the clashes of heads Hrgovic found blood leaking into both eyes. The belief seemed to seep out of him too. Never crumbling entirely but progressively less effective and as the middle rounds gave way to the final third he grew beleaguered.
Dubois was in no mood to relent. The Doctor’s intervention in the 8th round saved Hrgovic from being stopped with punches. It had begun to look inevitable as Dubois, his corner and everyone watching let the belief flow freely. The doubts, his, ours, drifting away into the Saudi night. Dubois the much maligned ‘man-child’ was becoming fully realised into a heavyweight bad-ass and grew ever more confident with every exchange.
The idea of Joshua v Dubois now becomes more than a wishful notion on Frank Warren’s behalf. And though the superior punching power of Joshua will present a problem for Dubois if he doesn’t find a way to move his head on the way in, by the fight’s conclusion this weekend, Joshua will know a lot of leather will be coming the other way and a confident, fit, strong and ballsy heavyweight will be throwing them.
A 26-year-old heavyweight badass is a welcome addition to ageing landscape. His name is Daniel No Fucks Given Dubois.
BOXINGWRITER.CO.UK 
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