At times, a fighter's ego can be inflated by their success. Daniel Dubois, however, isn’t letting his recent run get to his head.

“I’m still hungry for more success,” Dubois told Sky Sports Boxing. “More victories, more belts.”

Unassuming in the way he approaches his everyday life but dangerous once stepping through those ropes, Dubois’ career was shaping out perfectly. On his way up, he was viewed as one of the best prospects in the world. It didn’t take long for him to switch the tag prospect to contender.

Yet, in his first fight on the big stage, he folded against Joe Joyce. A few years later, that red organ beating inside his chest was questioned thanks to a stoppage loss to Oleksandr Usyk.

His protruding muscles and grotesquely enlarged knuckles were eventually regarded as innocuous. But while hitting rock bottom, the 27-year-old didn’t allow it to deter him from getting better.

It was all mental for Dubois. Once he figured that part out, he was able to unlock another level of his game. Jarrell Miller, Filip Hrgovic, and Anthony Joshua were all expected to either outpoint him or stop Dubois in his tracks. Not only did they all fail but The Ring’s No. 2 ranked heavyweight made sure they didn’t see the final bell.

Now for a change, Dubois (22-2, 21 KOs) is getting a bit more respect from oddsmakers. His upcoming showdown against Joseph Parker marks the first time in over two years where he stands as the pre-fight favourite.

The respect he’s receiving is appreciated but Dubois prefers his old role. So while sportsbooks might be expecting him to take care of business, he’ll still walk around with a chip on his shoulder.

“I still feel like the underdog. It’s still the same old mentality, still the same old dog.”