Daniel Dubois could fight both Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk after February IBF heavyweight title defence
Daniel Dubois holds the IBF heavyweight title; the 27-year-old knocked out Anthony Joshua in September; Dubois will make a voluntary defence of his title in February; a unification contest would allow Dubois to box the winner of Oleksandr Usyk-Tyson Fury first
Daniel Dubois could fight both Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk after their rematch later this year.
Dubois holds the IBF heavyweight title and confirmed his status as a world-class operator when he knocked out Anthony Joshua in September.
Britain’s Dubois will make a voluntary defence of his title in February and if he keeps winning, the IBF will eventually order him to face a mandatory challenger, but a unification contest would override that so Dubois could box the Usyk-Fury winner first.
“That is in their rules so we’ll see what happens,” his promoter Frank Warren told Sky Sports.
“The [Usyk-Fury] rematch is going to be something extra, extra special and the outcome of that’s going to be interesting to see where we go with Daniel.
“I genuinely do believe that Tyson will win the fight so yet another all-British world title fight will be absolutely outstanding.”
Before he became a world champion, Dubois challenged Usyk, dropping him with a shot that was ruled to be low. Usyk took his recovery time and rose to ultimately halt Dubois himself.
“But what a great rematch [for Dubois] as well, win or lose [on December 21], with Usyk, what a great rematch and I’d love to see that to put the record straight,” Warren said.
“There’s a raft of fights for him.”
The 27-year-old Dubois is now in an enviable position, which seemed unlikely after defeats to Joe Joyce as well as Usyk earlier in his career.
“He’s matured mentally, which was the most important thing for him, and in a good place – and that job he did against AJ was comprehensive,” Warren said.
“He worked very hard, he kept the faith and he re-established himself.
“He persevered and stuck to his task and done what a lot of people didn’t think he could do.”
