Dubois deserves the Fighter of the Year award.

With his dramatic knockout of former champion Anthony Joshua, Dubois cemented his status as IBF heavyweight champion. Additionally, Dubois' knockout of one of the most celebrated fighters of the last decade is an upset that should earn him Fighter of the Year honors from various awards bodies.

“Definitely the most improved fighter of 2024, the best comeback and undoubtedly fighter of the year is #DanielDubois. I can't imagine a better year in 2024. Absolutely no problem,” boxing personality Rick Glaser said in a social media post.

It is difficult to disagree with this statement. Dubois' win over Joshua and his victory over Filip Hrgović are probably a solid record for any fighter this year.

While the boxing community may have believed too much in AJ's comeback. Consider the fact that clothing line AJXNG is still selling sweatshirts for the AJ-Dubois fight more than a week after Joshua's loss. Many others slept on the rapid rise of Daniel Dubois and his own comeback.

“I’ve been telling you that for years.” said Promoter Frank Warren after the fight.

It is difficult to disagree with this statement. Dubois' win over Joshua and his win over Filip Hrgović are probably a solid record for any fighter this year.

I first saw Dubois in the ring in his last fight at the legendary York Hall in London in 2018. He made short work of his opponent and the way he did it caught my attention. I soon began to think of him as a future champion and it was hard to see a stellar career ahead of him. Then came the loss to Joe Joyce and other fights inside and outside the ring.

In his recent fights, Dubois has shown a belief in himself that allows him to march forward when the going gets tough and the crowd is hostile. In late 2023, he upset Jarrell Miller in Saudi Arabia. He later lost a controversial fight against Aleksander (Oleksander) Usyk. In the first of these fights, Dubois dropped Usyk with a punch below the belt before being stopped later in the same fight.

His quick knockout of Joshua at the hands of Dubois means Dubois deserves a rematch with Usyk (if Usyk continues his ring after his scheduled rematch with Tyson Fury in December). However, Usyk will not fight with the ferocious dedication that Anthony Joshua showed in the fight with Dubois.

At just 26 years old, Dubois has both the time and potential to further hone his craft, particularly his footwork and defense. As he awaits a potential rematch with Usyk, Dubois' accomplishments this year make him a leading contender for the Fighter of the Year award – a recognition he well deserves for his remarkable performances in the ring.