Anthony Joshua looks set to face compatriot Daniel Dubois in an all-UK IBF interim heavyweight title battle at Wembley in September.
Joshua had the date set aside by Saudi Arabian Chairman Turki Alalshikh for Riyadh Season’s debut event in the United Kingdom. AJ had planned to face Filip Hrgovic or Deontay Wilder until both lost Saturday night in the Kingdom.
Dubois emerged as the best of the rest with depleted options, with only Zhilei Zhang or Joseph Parker as solid options for the former world champion.
Promoter Frank Warren confirmed talks are underway after Dubois bloodied and stopped Hrgovic to claim the piece of the heavyweight championship puzzle.
“Daniel Dubois proved all his doubters wrong and won the IBF ‘interim’ belt,” Warren told talkSPORT. “He hopefully will be fighting AJ in the autumn. We’re working on that, as he did well.
“We would love it [Joshua vs Dubois] to be in the UK. They are two British fighters so it would be a great fight to put on at Wembley. We have a press conference later this month, so hopefully, we can make some announcements. AJ was ringside, and I was sitting next to him, in fact. I told him, ‘Right, come on, let’s get this on.’
“We’ve got discussions going on, so hopefully we can get it over the line. Dubois and AJ will be a magnificent fight because they’re both big, big punchers.”
After witnessing two massive heavyweight clashes at ringside alongside Alalshikh, Joshua was asked if he was disappointed not to be facing Wilder.
“No. It is what it is. Come again if you want [and don’t retire], but he’s got his family. There is a life outside of boxing for him. If he wants to go again, give it another crack. But sooner or later, father time will catch up with you, with everyone,” said Joshua.
As Wilder contemplates walking away for good, Joshua will have a tough test against Dubois as on witnessing the Hrgovic fight, ‘DDD’ can eat huge heavyweight punches. A win for Joshua puts him as the number one contender for the Usyk vs Fury rematch winner, as the IBF has the first option on the undisputed mandatory.
The IBF granted Usyk an exception to keep his title after beating Fury, with the undisputed crown on the line for the rematch, as World Boxing News reported first.
Read all articles and exclusive interviews by Phil Jay. Learn more about the author, experienced boxing writer, and World Boxing News Editor since 2010. Follow on Twitter @PhilJWBN.
