Heavyweight veteran Dave Allen has hailed Daniel Dubois as one of the greatest British heavyweights of all time, issuing a stark warning to domestic rivals Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua that they should steer clear of the destructive puncher.
Allen’s high praise comes in the wake of Dubois’s emphatic performance last Saturday night, when he thoroughly dominated his high-stakes rematch with Fabio Wardley. The statement victory saw Dubois retain his WBO world heavyweight title in devastating fashion, scoring a second-round finish after immediately putting his opponent on the back foot right from the opening bell.
The explosive conclusion to the rivalry began in the very first 17 seconds of the opening round. Dubois connected with a monstrous, clubbing right hand that sent Wardley crashing hard to the canvas. The champion nearly closed the show right then and there, launching a furious follow-up attack that had Wardley in deep trouble before the bell could save him.
The onslaught continued into the second round. Recognizing the severe danger and the heavy punishment his fighter was absorbing, trainer Ben Davison wisely elected to throw in the towel, bringing a definitive halt to the bout. The destructive performance not only underlined Dubois’s growth and killer instinct but also ensured he successfully defended his WBO belt.
This latest triumph follows their thrilling first encounter in May, where Dubois officially became a two-time world heavyweight champion by dethroning Wardley in an absolute thriller. On that occasion, Dubois had to display immense resilience, surviving two early knockdowns before turning the tide and completing a punishing stoppage in the eleventh round.
With those championship-level displays, alongside prior high-profile stoppages over elite contenders like Anthony Joshua and Filip Hrgovic, Dubois has firmly staked his claim as arguably the most formidable active heavyweight in the division. Meanwhile, Oleksandr Usyk, who continues to hold the status of lineal champion, appears to be nearing the twilight of his illustrious and undefeated professional career, potentially leaving the division wide open for a new dominant era.
Reflecting on this remarkable trajectory in an interview with talkSPORT, heavyweight veteran Dave Allen offered a glowing assessment of the Londoner’s legacy thus far. Allen went as far as to suggest that Dubois’s résumé and achievements already place him in rare historical company among the finest fighters the United Kingdom has ever produced in the division.
“Dubois could go down as one of the best heavyweights of all time,” Allen told talkSPORT. “If you strip it back, and we’re talking purely boxing—wins and losses, who you boxed, how you did it—he’s already up there as one of the best British heavyweights of all time.”
Beyond evaluating his historical standing, Allen also turned his attention to the landscape of the current heavyweight division, specifically addressing how Dubois would fare against the biggest names in British boxing. Given the sheer power and momentum behind Dubois at this stage of his career, Allen offered a blunt piece of advice to former world champions Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua.
According to the veteran heavyweight, both men would be wise to look elsewhere for their next challenges rather than stepping into the ring with a puncher of Dubois’s caliber.
“Fury and Joshua, for me… they should leave Dubois alone,” Allen stated. “I’d be leaving Dubois well alone if I’m them guys.”
Despite Allen’s cautionary words, the heavyweight division is never short of ambition or blockbuster matchups. If either Tyson Fury or Anthony Joshua retain an interest in testing themselves against the explosive WBO titleholder, a path could eventually open up. The winner of their upcoming high-stakes showdown on December 11—a bout contested for the prestigious WBA “super” title—would find themselves ideally positioned to explore a massive domestic unification match against Dubois further down the line in 2027.
