British heavyweight Daniel Dubois has disclosed that fatherhood is fuelling his determination as he prepares for his showdown with domestic rival Fabio Wardley in Manchester this May.
The 28-year-old Londoner, known for keeping his private life under wraps, confirmed he is now a father to a son named Zion with his partner Raissa. The couple will mark their child's first birthday later this month.
"My Zion, yes, that's it it's all good!" Dubois told The Sun after announcing he's become a father.
"I have my boy now, he adds to my armoury. He's motivating me for this, even more so now."
The fighter expressed his ambition to serve as an inspiration for his son, stating: "I can be someone for him to look up to when he comes of age."
Dubois reflected on how his new role as a father carries particular significance given his pre-fight banter during his 2023 Saudi Arabia bout against American Jarrell Miller.
The Londoner had taunted Miller, who goes by the nickname Big Baby, by declaring himself the opponent's "daddy" before going on to defeat him convincingly in the ring.
Daniel Dubois will fight Fabio Wardley in May
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"I went into the Jarrell Miller fight telling him I was his daddy," Dubois recalled.
"But now I am 'The Daddy'. Funny how life goes sometimes."
The 17-stone fighter, who despite his imposing physical presence often comes across as unassuming in a demanding sport, now finds that his previous trash talk has transformed into genuine reality.
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Five facts about boxing that fans might not know | GBNEWS/PAAt the press conference announcing the May clash, Dubois refused to accept Wardley's offered handshake on stage, though he insists this was not mere theatrics for the cameras.
"I was trying to mug him off!" he explained.
"It wasn't that at all the back-and-forth was good. But we have a date now to hurt each other. We can just be friends after the fight."
Dubois views the confrontation through a pragmatic lens, describing boxing as a unique combination of competition and commerce.
"This is a sport and a business. It's a gladiator-sport-business all rolled into one," he said, suggesting any animosity between the pair is strictly professional rather than personal.
The two British heavyweights share a history that predates their current rivalry, having crossed paths early in their respective careers.
Daniel Dubois hasn't fought since losing to Oleksandr Usyk last year
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Their backgrounds could hardly be more different. Dubois was identified as a future star when he was just nine years old, whilst Wardley only took up boxing seriously in his twenties after working in recruitment as a hobby fighter.
The pair traded blows in sparring sessions around the time of their 2017 professional debuts, encounters that Dubois acknowledges were fierce.
"He gave me good rounds back then. He was a game fighter even then, he's always been that way," Dubois said.
"We've both come on so much. So now we do it under the bright lights."