Bruno impressed with Daniel Dubois

By Boxing News - 06/20/2019 - Comments

Image: Bruno impressed with Daniel Dubois

By Charles Brun: Former heavyweight champion Frank Bruno says he sees the 21-year-old Daniel Dubois as the future of British boxing ahead of his fight next month against Nathan Gormon at the O2 Arena in London, England. Former IBF/WBA/WBO heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua recently met defeat at the hands of American Andy Ruiz Jr. on June 1, and his career is now looking shaky at this point.

(Photo credit: Action Images via Reuters)

Beyond Joshua, there aren’t many British heavyweights that are shining brightly. There’s Dillian Whyte, but he’s 31, flawed, beatable, chinny and he’s not someone that has much time left as a top contender. In 10 years from now, Whyte will likely be retired, and no longer mentioned by fans.

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Dubois vs. Gorman fight for vacant British title

There’s a lot of interest in next month’s fight between the 6’5″ Dubois (11-0, 10 KOs) and the undefeated Gorman (16-0, 11 KOs) in the UK, even though they’re only battling for the vacant British heavyweight title. There’s a long ways to go for the winner of this fight before they’ll be ready to challenge for a world title against WBC champion Deontay Wilder or IBF/WBA/WBO champ Andy Ruiz Jr. in the future.

“He can punch like a mule,” said Bruno about the 21-year-old Dubois. “Once he’s matured, I’ll be very, very sorry and scared for his opponents.”

It might be bad news that Bruno is getting the UK boxing public excited about Dubois right now, because he’s done so little. He could get found out in his next fight against Gorman.

Dubois’ lack of hand speed and slow feet could be a problem

What Bruno fails to point out is Dubois is quite slow of and and foot for a fighter that is expected be the future of British boxing. In Dubois’ last contest against fringe contender Richard Lartey last April, he was clipped early by the equally slow fighter, and badly stunned. That performance showed that Dubois might not be the fighter that some boxing fans believe him to be. Dubois looked like a copy of Joe Joyce in terms of his speed and movement. It’s fine that Dubois is slow, because the heavyweight is weak right now. Dubois might be able to excel in the future, and grab one of the titles and sit on it the way Joshua has.

Bruno: Dubois still needs to mature

Dubois still needs to gain experience before he’ll be ready to take on the elite level heavyweights in the division. Gorman is a good step up for Dubois right now.

“He’s still young and he’s still got a lot of maturing to do but I think he’s the future of British boxing,” said Bruno of Dubois.

There’s not much Dubois can do about his lack of hand and foot speed, but he needs to learn to move his head more to get it out of the way of punches. Gorman is going to take advantage of Dubois’ lack of head movement in their fight on July 13, and he might knock him out. In that case, Bruno would need to change alter his ideas about Dubois being the future of British boxing. It won’t be surprising if Dubois loses the fight, and Bruno would have to crown someone else the future of British boxing.