IBF titleholder, Daniel Dubois, is arguably the world’s most in-form heavyweight after reeling off consecutive stoppage victories over Jarrell Miller, Filip Hrgovic and two-time unified champion, Anthony Joshua, but the Londoner believes that his time at the top of the sport is only just beginning.

Ring magazine’s number 2 ranked heavyweight, Dubois, 22-2 (21 KOs) makes the second defence of his IBF belt against Joseph Parker, 35-3 (23 KOs), on this weekend’s mammoth ‘The Last Crescendo’ card from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The event is headlined by the rematch between undisputed light heavyweight champion, Artur Beterbiev, and Dmitry Bivol. The action will be screened worldwide by DAZN.

New Zealand’s Parker claimed the WBO title by beating Andy Ruiz all the way back in 2016 and has been campaigning at the highest level ever since. The 33 year-old has one of the most complete CV’s in the heavyweight division and has lost only one fight in almost seven years, a late stoppage defeat to Joe Joyce in 2022.

He and his trainer, former WBO middleweight champion, Andy Lee, have really clicked since that loss and Parker has arguably performed better than ever in his victories over Deontay Wilder and Zhilei Zhang. He is currently ranked at number three by Ring Magazine.

Dubois respects Parker’s journey but is determined not to let him derail his own.

“I’m just getting there whereas he’s already been there and now he’s trying to come back again so I can’t let him do that,” the 27 year-old said during an edition of DAZN: On The Ground.

“I’ve got to stop him and maintain that belt and show that I’m the real champion.

“I’m looking forward to beating the man and showing that I’m the real deal. I’ve just got this title so I’m ready for the fight.

“I’m excited and can’t wait to get on the plane and let it all become real then.”

Last December, Dubois received a mountain of criticism for the way he gatecrashed Oleksandr Usyk’s post fight interview just moments after the Ukrainian great had outpointed Tyson Fury in their heavyweight rematch.

Back in August 2023, Dubois dropped to a knee and allowed himself to be counted out in the ninth round of his fight with the unified heavyweight champion. Before that, whilst Dubois trailed in the fight, he had performed relatively well and famously dropped Usyk heavily in the fifth round with a borderline shot which referee, Luis Pabon, deemed to be low.

The newly confident Dubois interrupted Usyk’s moment to loudly call for ‘revenge.’

If he can beat Parker, talk will turn to the possibility of a return between he and Ring Magazine champion, Usyk, but Dubois hasn’t allowed those thoughts to infiltrate his mind ahead of next week’s fight.

“Not at all. Not at all,” he said. “Not one bit. I’ve lost no focus on Parker. This is where we’re at now. The stage I’m at now. I’m at the top now so it’s alright to call people out. He’s at the top with me so make these fights happen.”