Anthony Joshua on track to sell nearly half a MILLION tickets in career with Dubois fight set to make British history
ANTHONY JOSHUA is on track to reach half a MILLION ticket sales ahead of his record-breaking next fight.
AJ challenges for Daniel Dubois’ IBF heavyweight world title on Saturday at Wembley Stadium.
And a never-before-seen 96,000 are set to pack out the national football stadium to witness the Battle of Britain.
It means the record set by Tyson Fury in 2022 – when 94,000 watched his knock out of Dillian Whyte – is set to be smashed.
Joshua first won the heavyweight title in 2016 after knocking out Charles Martin.
He then had two defences before attempting to add the WBA strap in a unification with Wladimir Klitschko.
It marked AJ’s first fight in a stadium as 90,000 watched him triumph in round 11 following a classic with Klitschko.
From there, he faced Carlos Takam in another defence before beating Joseph Parker for the WBO belt.
Both were at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium as 78,000 came out on each occasion.
Joshua returned to Wembley in 2018 to KO Alexander Povetkin with 80,000 in the house.
ANTHONY JOSHUA VS DANIEL DUBOIS: All the information you need ahead of huge world title fight at Wembley
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But then his career went on the road, starting with a disastrous US debut.
AJ was due to face American loudmouth Jarrell Miller until the Yank disgracefully failed a series of drug tests.
In stepped overweight outsider Andy Ruiz Jr to spring a sensational upset in seven rounds in New York.
But Joshua won back the unified belts six months later in Saudi Arabia – his first fight in the Middle East.
With the titles back around his waist, the Londoner found himself at Wembley again.
But this time in front of a tiny crowd of 1,000 inside Wembley Arena amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The select few watched Joshua KO Kubrat Pulev with a thunderous right hand.
But following failed talks to fight Fury, a mandatory title defence was called against Oleksandr Usyk.
A crowd of 66,000 filled Tottenham’s £1billion stadium but it was heartbreak for AJ.
He was dominated over 12 rounds to surrender the straps once more.
And unlike against Ruiz, he was unable to avenge the loss when he rematched Usyk in Saudi a year later.
Joshua’s popularity and confidence looked to be at an all-time low as his run back to the top kicked off.
For the first time since 2016, Joshua was back at the O2 Arena as he cruised past Jermaine Franklin.
He then knocked out Robert Helenius four months later to light up the O2 again.
Joshua was soon back in Riyadh twice more to stop Otto Wallin in six rounds and flatten ex-UFC champion Francis Ngannou in two.
With four wins on the spin, there is hope Joshua, 34, is not only back to his best but maybe better than ever.
And he clearly has the British public back in belief again after the record 96,000 crowd was announced.
It means Joshua has shifted 488,000 tickets in his superstar career.
And he now has the chance to join an elite heavyweight club with Muhammad Ali, Lennox Lewis and Evander Holyfield as three-time champ.
Joshua vs Dubois fight predictions
THIS weekend Wembley will witness one of the biggest all-British fights of all-time.
But who will emerge victorious under the famous arch? Some of the biggest names in boxing have been having their say…
Oleksandr Usyk: “My favourite is Anthony Joshua but I am very bad at predictions. But I will predict Anthony Joshua.”
Dillian Whyte: “I just think that it’s one of those fights where it is a genuine 50/50 fight in my opinion.”
Joe Joyce: “I was initially edging with Joshua but I don’t know, Dubois is coming on.”
Frazer Clarke: “As heavy-handed as Dubois is and as good a fighter as he’s becoming, I still have to go for Joshua.”
Francis Ngannou: “Even though Joshua lost against Usyk twice and Dubois fought Usyk and almost knocked him down and almost won, I would still give this to Joshua.”
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