Anthony Joshua responds to reports that Daniel Dubois caused his legs to turn to jelly during a sparring session. AJ hasn’t minced his comments about the much-discussed fight with Triple D. ANTHONY JOSHUA has finally spoken out on his epic fight with Daniel Dubois.

The build-up to the pair’s Wembley war later this month has been dominated by rumours of what happened in one of their sparring sessions at the GB Performance Institute in Sheffield in 2016.

Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois throw down at Wembley later this monthCredit: GETTY

Rumours of Dubois knocking out AJ in a 2016 spar have dominated the build-up to the fight

It’s been claimed over the years that Dubois, who at the time was a fresh-faced 18-year-old, nearly knocked out the former two-time unified heavyweight champion.

Dubois has inadvertently fuelled the rumours by refusing to shed light on his time in the ring with AJ, who has grown tired of the “narrative” being painted ahead of their domestic dust-up.

AJ has issued a stern message on the numerous claims made about the sparCredit: INSTAGRAM@ANTHONYJOSHUA

Recalling the spar in question, Joshua told Sky Sports: “He just cracked me with a good shot. I stood on my feet.

“I don’t know where this whole narrative of someone turned my lights off came from.

“There were a lot of individuals in the gym that day also.

“People have come out and said, ‘Nah, nothing happened.'”

“But anyway, people say what they say.”

Joshua, 34, isn’t surprised by the various stories that have emerged following his gym fight with the IBF heavyweight champion.

He said: “With me, there’s always been like an inch that makes a mile. But it’s all good. It’s all good.”

Joshua and Dubois face up at the home of English football at the height of their respective career resurgences.

AJ has recovered from the edge of divisional oblivion with four victories on the spins, including a nasty knockout of former UFC champion Francis Ngannou.

Anthony Joshua was not knocked down by Daniel Dubois.

Dubois, meanwhile, has recovered from a disappointing display against Oleksandr Usyk with back-to-back stoppage wins over Jarrell Miller and Filip Hrgovic.

And the 26-year-old is on a mission to become the new face of British heavyweight boxing.

He said: “AJ’s been the king for a long time and on the night, I need to become a king slayer.

“And that’s my goal, that’s the mission at hand.

“I’m learning more about myself as a fighter, as a person, coming out of the darkness and into the light, improving all around as a fighter and as an athlete.

“I’m up for this and ready to go.”

Joshua, however, insists he won’t let Dubois dethrone him as the poster boy of British boxing.

He said: “I’m not saying that he has the chance to do it on September 21 because what you speak is sometimes what comes into existence.

“But I won’t let it happen, I’ll show you how good am.

“Whether it’s in the ring sparring or whether it’s in the ring fighting, I won’t let anyone manhandle me or try to knock me out. No way.”

Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois will throw down in front of 96,000 fans at WembleyCredit: GETTY