HIGHLY-TOUTED heavyweight Daniel Dubois – who has sparred the likes of Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury – makes his professional debut next weekend (April 8) and could be set for big things.

He will fight David Howe at the Manchester Arena on a bill that includes Liam Smith’s crunch clash with Liam Williams and Terry Flanagan’s WBO lightweight title defence against Petr Petrov.

The 19-year-old is eager to get his paid career underway and join the exciting banner division.

“I’m itching to get under those lights and put in a big performance on my debut” he said. “I’ve been training long and hard for April 8th and I want to kick-off my career with a bang. David Howe has a good record and has been in with some tough guys, he is a good test for me.

“To be fighting in an Arena and live on BT Sport and BoxNation in my very first fight is going to be a great experience for me. I can’t wait to get in there and perform for my team and my family. If the knockout comes, it comes.

“Getting a win is the priority. For now it is all about improving with every fight and learning my trade in the gym.”

He has sparred current IBF champion Anthony Joshua in the past and last week shared rounds with former division ruler Tyson Fury and his cousin Hughie, who meets WBO champion Joseph Parker in May.

Dubois’ promoter, Frank Warren, takes confidence from the strong reputation the young Londoner has built through sparring these top names.

“I’ll move him along normally but he’s done very well in sparring with the likes of Joshua and everyone else he’s sparred with. He’s only a young man, he’s 19, so we’ll move him at a pace he’s comfortable to go at,” he told Boxing News.

“He enjoyed it and he learned from it. He sparred mostly with Hughie Fury, who we know is an excellent boxer, and it had him thinking, thinking of what it’s all about.”