DON'T blink when Daniel Dubois returns to the ring this weekend, as the British heavyweight champion ‘warms up’ for his long-awaited domestic showdown with Joe Joyce.
The heavyweight rivals’ plans to face-off earlier in the year were TKO’d by the Covid-19 lockdown. And upon boxing’s resumption, it was decided both would stay active with behind closed doors fights first ahead of a tentatively scheduled October 24th pay-per-view.
Joyce kept Frank Warren’s heavyweight showpiece on track last month by bashing overmatched German Michael Wallisch inside three rounds. And we can expect something even more rapid from Dubois (1/100).
Dutchman Ricardo Snijders (16/1) enters the UK armed with a respectable 18-1 on-paper record. But closer inspection reveals a ledger built on home soil match-ups against largely novice or journeyman opponents.
That sole defeat was his only previous fight outside of the Netherlands, a 10-round unanimous points decision in Belgium last Spring, which was also down at cruiserweight. The 26-year-old suffered a standing count en route to hearing the final bell.
With 22-year-old Dubois’ WBO International title on the line at the BT Sport studios, this one is scheduled for 12 three-minute rounds. But, in reality, if non-puncher Snijders is still vertical after the opening six minutes, he will have over achieved.
Dillian Whyte’s shock fifth round knockout loss to Alexander Povetkin last weekend will have also saved Dubois’ corner the job of keeping their man’s mind on the job. Dubois doesn’t want to be the second British heavyweight in a week to suffer a career-stalling upset.
Of DDD’s 13 knockout victories in 14 fights, nine have come in the first two rounds.
Dubois to win by KO, TKO, or DQ: 1/40
Dubois to win in Round 1: 15/8
Dubois to win in Round 2: 5/2
Total rounds: Over 1.5 13/20, under 1.5 23/20
At his heaviest, Snijders weighed in at 213lb, but in shape he usually floats around 205lb. Dubois always tips the scales around 240lb. Power, size, strength and weight advantage are all in favour of the home corner.
It is worth noting Snijders is a replacement opponent, after former two-time Olympian and current WBO European champion Erik Pfeifer was pulled a week ago after failing to provide his medical records in time to travel. That opponent would have been a far more significant test for Dubois.
“It's a disappointment we had to make a late change, but the most important thing was getting Daniel a solid test,” promoter Warren reacted. “We had Snijders training for weeks getting ready for this fight on the off-chance there was an issue, and thank God we did.
“Providing Daniel can solve this Dutch puzzle, we can push on with the Joyce fight, then we hope for a world title fight next year as a mandatory contender.”
Snijders’ chin has so far held up in the ring. But it will get the testing of a lifetime on Saturday night and will likely need to be made of far sterner stuff than just skin and bone to survive DDD’s barrage of bombs.
With Whyte’s weekend wipeout still fresh in the mind, expect youthful and ambitious Dubois to come out steely eyed and focused on rapid destruction. Whether Dynamite detonates in the first round or the second will have a lot to do with just how fast the hapless Dutchman can move his feet!
