ANTHONY JOSHUA and Daniel Dubois almost came to blows and had to be restrained by security after a heated confrontation.
The two London heavyweights will face each other for the IBF title on September 21st at Wembley Stadium.
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But they met three months earlier to officially announce the all-British fight and exchanged interviews.
That’s when things almost got ugly when Dubois offered to start the fight early.
He said, “If he wants to swing, let’s go now.”
Joshua, with a deadly glare, responded sharply, “Hey, shut up. Relax.”
Dubois then said, “If you want to go now, let’s go.”
Joshua then responded, “I’m going to throw this fucking chair in your face. Don’t disrespect me. Don’t disrespect me. Daniel, don’t disrespect me.”
Dubois refused to back down and said, “You can’t intimidate me. Who do you think you are?”
At that moment, AJ stands up and warns: “Daniel, don’t disrespect me because I’m going to put this chair in your fucking face.”
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Security quickly intervened, with Dubois being restrained as Joshua added: “I don’t take disrespect lightly, Dan.
“Dan, I don’t take disrespect lightly, you know. Don’t sit at the table telling me we can go now and do all this and that and try to get me.”
Hall of Fame promoter Frank Warren then interrupted the event in a desperate attempt to calm things down.
Dubois, 26, is the newly crowned champion after having the interim title won against Filip Hrgovic, 32, upgraded to the full version.
It comes after undisputed king Oleksandr Usyk, 37, vacated the belt to rematch Tyson Fury, 35, on December 21, following his heroic victory in May.
Joshua, 34, profited from fighting for the same belt he won seven years ago in an attempt to become a three-time champion.
The 2012 Olympic gold medalist spoke to Dubois when pressed about the heated war of words.
Dan, I don’t take disrespect lightly, you know. Don’t sit at the table telling me we can go now and do all this and that and try to call me.
Anthony Joshua to Daniel Dubois
He said: “Yes, we had a bit of aggression. It is good.
“There are two aspects to this, the competitive side, the Queensberry Rules of boxing. But you also have the instinct you have, as a fighter.
“And that’s the way it is. Before boxing I was a good fighter, that’s an instinct you have when someone calls you out.
“He said ‘let’s go now’. And I said: ‘let’s go then’. Without security, I just walked away, I thought I would be the bigger man.”
Dubois attributed the tense situation to the brutal jet lag he suffered after a 12-hour flight back from Copacabana beach in Brazil.
He replied: “I was jet lagged, that’s all.
“My mind wasn’t in the right place, but it was okay and it was all part of the fun and getting into the groove.”
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This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
