Anthony Joshua may have Daniel Dubois as an immediate rival, but he still has praise for the 27-year-old.
Joshua and Dubois will meet for the IBF heavyweight title on September 21 live on DAZN with 96,000 fans set to provide an electric atmosphere at Wembley Stadium.
Stadium fights are nothing new to Joshua who has fought many times under the iconic Wembley arch, while this will be Dubois' first venture into England's national stadium.
There has been plenty of discussion in the build-up about whether Dubois will rise to the occasion, and it will be down to his team to keep the emotions in check ahead of what is the biggest of his career so far.
It is not just trainer Don Charles who will be looking to keep Dubois focused on the task at hand, but also his family who always provide support ringside.
This closely knit family unit is something which Joshua sees as a strength and is impressed by how it has benefitted Dubois' career.
"I look at the pros in people and I like the family, the synergy he has with his family," Joshua told DAZN when discussing Dubois.
"It plays a part, it plays a massive part the influence a family has in a fighter’s career, I think that is helping Daniel along the way.
"And this is part of their plan, it’s not like he doesn’t belong here, it’s been a part of their plan, it’s going to be a tough night’s work for sure."
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