Eubank backs 'maverick' Joshua against Dubois & Fury

When you are a marquee name like Anthony Joshua, there is no 'this is it'.

'AJ' is a maverick. He has been able to do things nobody has done. He has paved the way for other fighters.

He could lose to Daniel Dubois on Saturday and everybody would still want to see him fight Tyson Fury. That will not change.

Of course, defeat will be damaging to Joshua's reputation and career but it is not something he could not bounce back from. He has done it before.

To keep the momentum and wider interest in the bigger fights going, however, he has to win, and I think he will.

Joshua is too experienced, too strong and his boxing IQ will be too high for Dubois. It is a cliche but there are levels to the game and Joshua is just a few too many levels above Dubois.

The exciting thing about heavyweight boxing, though, is that they are so big, strong and powerful that even when there are levels, all it takes is one punch and it is over.

Joshua does not care about the haters

I have known Joshua for years and have been to so many of his fights. We have always stayed in touch.

Our journeys have been slightly different but we both faced pressure early in our careers.

I can relate to what he has gone through and you tend to gravitate towards guys who are on that same level.

Joshua came out of the Olympics as a heavyweight gold medallist and, rightly so, became the poster boy of British boxing. Everybody was behind him.

For me it was a different type of scrutiny. I was a Eubank, carrying my father's legendary name, but I was an unknown entity and a lot of people did not want me to succeed or believe in me.

I had to prove those guys wrong over the years.

But as you grow older and get more experienced, you realise that what people expect of you and the pressure that they put on you actually does not matter.

As long as you are content and can look at yourself in the mirror and say you did your best, that is what matters.

Family matters. Being a good human-being and respected matters. Not the critics or the haters. If you become obsessed with trying to please them, you will never win.

Joshua is definitely at a stage and age now where he has been through it, seen it, heard it and done it all.

He does not care what people think, now it is all about solidifying his legacy and making the money which will last him, his family and generations to come.

Dubois is not a disrespectful fighter

The way Dubois has come back from defeats by Joe Joyce and Oleksandr Usyk and improved has been impressive.

He has shown a never-give-up attitude and I really do respect that.

I have had losses and it is not easy. You go into the ring with doubts and dark thoughts.

So to get over that is a huge testament to Dubois' character.

There was a confrontation back in June where Joshua felt Dubois was disrespecting him.

I genuinely do not think Dubois is the type of fighter who would disrespect people, but how much respect can you give to somebody you are going to try and take their head off?

I'd back Joshua to beat Fury

Dubois is up against an improved Joshua who will outgun him in too many different departments. I have seen the progress he has made since the Usyk losses.

Joshua has been busy with three fights last year and Dubois will be his second of 2024.

Activity is so important to becoming a better fighter. It is something I am kind of annoyed at in my own career, that I have not been active over the past year.

If Joshua goes into a fight with the right mindset then he has the skills to beat anybody in the world, and I would always back my guy against Fury.

Fury lost to Usyk and showed he is not unbeatable or invincible. Joshua is smart enough to look at what Usyk did, see the holes in Fury's game and do the same thing when they share a ring - which I am sure they will.

The Fury talk is for the future. For now, the focus is on Dubois and Joshua and they should enjoy reaching the pinnacle of boxing this weekend.

If you can headline at Wembley Stadium, you have made it. It does not get bigger than that.

Chris Eubank Jr was speaking to BBC Sport's Kal Sajad.