Back in simpler times there was a saying: ‘No show without punch.’

It was used to make mockery of men with inflated egos who tried to dominate conversations or gatherings with their prattling self-importance. It derived from the Punch and Judy shows which were once hugely popular with holiday-makers at our seaside resorts.

The story was always the same: Mr Punch belabouring Mrs Judy with a stick as she berated him for his misbehaviour. A simple caricature of family life as it used to be.

It is a while since I have strolled a beachfront promenade but no doubt many of those providers of merriment have been closed down by now as politically incorrect.

In boxing, the show must go on. Even though the brandisher of the biggest punch will not be appearing here on Saturday night. Daniel Dubois is indisposed, his glands more swollen than his bank account would have been had he taken to the stage against Joseph Parker in a second defence of his IBF world heavyweight title.

London’s successor to the fiefdoms of Anthony Joshua, who he demolished, and Tyson Fury, who retired first, is nicknamed Dynamite after his punch, that right-hander which was supposed to remove former champion Parker from his path to a fight with Oleksandr Usyk for the undisputed heavyweight title.

Daniel Dubois’ withdrawal has altered his path to an undisputed heavyweight title fight

Dubois had hoped to beat Joseph Parker (right) en route to a showdown with Oleksandr Usyk

There are hints Parker or his new opponent Martin Bakole could become a challenger for Usyk

Parker is also a loser following the abrupt and most surprising withdrawal of Dubois from what might still reasonably be hailed as the Card Of The Century.

The engaging and self-effacing Kiwi was hoping to be the one to go through to challenge Usyk. Now he has to beat two giants to claim that reward.

Get past the late substitute opponent Martin Bakole and Parker will almost certainly have to negotiate Dubois to secure his shot at boxing’s ultimate prize.

For Dubois, the immediate cost is his multi-million-dollar purse this weekend. But that comes also with complications to ‘my hope of reaching greatness’. The timescale for that is drastically altered.

Parker, or Bakole if he springs an upset, can’t expect to be ready for the next fight of their lives before mid-summer. Will Usyk wait around until, say, December? Doubtful, since this Ukrainian has said already he has maybe two fights left in him.

There are also hints from one of the alpha-sanctioning bodies that the winner of Parker-Bakole could be their mandatory challenger to Usyk.

Before Thursday’s upheaval, Dubois v Parker had been reduced to second billing below the rematch between the two best light-middleweights of this era — Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol — in their on-going duel for the undisputed world championship of that division. Now attention will be focused even more intently on that fight.

Not least because of the controversy generated by Bivol’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, accusing the judges of robbery in Beterbiev’s favour last time. His fighter, to his credit, did not join in the hullabaloo. Bivol promises to do more punching and less running, which exposes him to risk, so may not be the best idea.

Even more attention is now on the middleweight fight between Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol

There are other Mr Punches in the mix. China’s 41-year-old giant panda, Zhilei ‘Big Bang’ Zhang, goes against under-rated German heavyweight champion Agit Kabayel. Hot London prospect Hamzah Sheeraz is given an unexpectedly early world title shot against dynamic WBC middleweight champion Carlos Adames.

Those seaside puppet shows always ended with Mrs Judy braining Mr Punch with a kitchen utensil. Then standing over his fallen body as the curtains closed. To cheers all round.

Could it be that Mr Dubois has dodged a frying pan?