David Haye: Daniel Dubois is going to need another three or four years to reach world title level

David Haye reckons that Daniel Dubois needs a lengthy period to rebuild his reputation – and add experience – after his crushing loss to Joe Joyce.

The Greenwich heavyweight was stopped in the 10th round of his clash with Joe Joyce last night.

Dubois was leading on two of the judges’ scorecards but his left eye was swollen shut. Joyce landed a jab on the damaged socket and the South Londoner opted to take a knee and be counted out.

Bermondsey’s two-weight world champion Haye was part of the punditry team for BT Sport.

And he believes that Dubois will not be back quickly at the top of the division.

Haye has worked with Putney’s Joyce before – they shared the same trainer towards the end of his career. The victor, 35, won a silver medal at the Olympics and was late turning over to the professional ranks.

“Experience goes a long way in this game,” said Haye. “Going to the Olympics and going to the European amateur championships and Commonwealths – winning golds and silvers – you’re fighting the best in the world. You are tried and tested – people test out your chin and body.

“I hadn’t seen anything from Dubois to suggest he had any business being in there with Joe, other than a tremendous record and a big knockout reel.

“We saw tonight that he wasn’t ready for that level.

“For five or six rounds he was looking fantastic and I had him winning on the card until round six. He needed to relax. I was very unhappy with the way he took a knee. He took a shot to the eye but I never like seeing a fighter take a knee.

“I’d rather get knocked spark out.

“I saw Dubois starting to learn but it’s hard to learn in a fight against someone who continuously comes at you. Joe Joyce has been hit and hurt before but he’s confident in his recovery skills.

“Dubois wouldn’t be ready to beat Oleksandr Usyk, which is what they’re potentially looking at next. Technically he’s not ready yet. Give it three or four years – for sure. After taking a knee like that it is going to take a while to build you confidence back up and the fans’ confidence back up.

“You’re going to need another five, six or seven fights before you start looking at some big names.

“I’m not saying it’s over for him.

Carl Frampton, also on punditry duty for the broadcaster, pulled no punches with his assessment.

The Irish fighter said: “We all like Dubois but we don’t like a quitter. I think he quit there. His eye was a mess, his eye was closed – but I get dragged out of the ring.

“I wouldn’t take a knee.

“I had Dubois a point up at the time of the stoppage. It was a close fight. He’s a young kid and he can still come back.

“Joe’s done it the right way and there was no preparation from Dubois for a Joe Joyce fight, to get him ready for it. And he was just found out at that level.

“His eye was closed after round five or six. To take a knee, he’s going to live to regret that. The knee spoilt it for me. He’s going to face a lot of criticism. He’s going to have to take it, go back to the drawing board and move on.

“He’s young enough to do all that and he can do that.”

Co-commentator Richie Woodhall added: “Two or three times he really went for it, like he was trying to knock Joe Joyce out. But Joe Joyce weathered the storm every time.

“And then Dubois, after he had exerted so much energy, he stepped back and had a look. He thought ‘this guy is still there’ and then maybe the doubts started creeping into his mind.

“At the end there he didn’t want to continue and that might be a little bit alarming for some people to see.

“But when you’ve got one eye closed and you’ve got a man like Joe Joyce in front of you – can you blame him?”