DANIEL DUBOIS had his old amateur coach convinced he would be world champion at just 17 – as he was already too powerful for the adults.
Dubois boxed for several top clubs in London, including the Repton, West Ham and Dale Youth – under celebrated trainer Mick Delaney.
The heavyweight prodigy – known as Danny at that time – came to Delaney as a 16-year-old and won 11 of his 12 bouts at Dale Youth.
That included winning the Haringey Box Cup and a Youth Championship – but it was Dubois’ performances against adults in the gym that stunned Delaney most.
He told SunSport, courtesy of Midnite: “Against men, 27-year-olds, I used to have to say to him, ‘Take it out a bit with the right hand.’
“Because if I knew if he’d hit them he’d knock them out. He had to go easy on them.”;
Dubois turned professional in 2017 after just a handful of senior amateur bouts.
But Delaney was already convinced his scholar would become world champ and in 2024 his prediction came true.
Dubois had to bounce back from stoppage losses to Joe Joyce and to revitalise his career.
But after come-from-behind victories against Jarell Miller and Filip Hrgovic – a September KO of followed.
Wembley fight
Watch Usyk vs Dubois 2 LIVE on DAZN
Now the IBF kingpin, Dubois, 27, rematches Usyk, 38, and has the backing of Delaney to avenge his loss to the Ukrainian.
He said: “I think he’ll either knock him out but I feel he’ll do him with a body shot – but that’s not to say he won’t knock him out with a right hand.
“He’s 27 now, his last three pro fights he boxed three decent opponents and he’s done the three of them in style, his confidence is going to be sky high.
“He’s going to go into this fight and without a doubt I think he’s going to do it.”;
Delaney revealed it took him only one year – by which time Dubois was just 17 – to know he had a future heavyweight world champ on his hands.
He said: “After he’d been with us a year. By 17, when I started putting him in championships.
“I put him in the Haringey Box Cup and they were raving and raving about this Irish lad and I had a kid who went back and fourth from Ireland and he said, ‘Mick, this kid is something special.’
“I said, ‘We’ll give it a go.’ I’d fancy Danny against anyone. And of course, Danny knocked the boy out in the second round with a body shot.
“I had a do for myself a year ago now, Danny came on the screen and said, ‘My old amateur coach Mick told me I’d be a world champion.’
“And, I’m quite full of it that he’s going to beat Usyk.”;
