Anthony Joshua has been offered a fight with Daniel Dubois by Frank Warren after seeing his blockbuster showdown with Deontay Wilder slip through his fingers once again. AJ had signed a contract to face Wilder next year providing they won their respective bouts on the ‘Day of Reckoning’ card in Saudi Arabia last weekend.
While Joshua put on a boxing clinic against Otto Wallin in the main event, Wilder was utterly outclassed by Joseph Parker in the co-feature attraction as he fell to the third defeat of his professional career. Joshua is now expected to face Filip Hrgovic at some point next year for the soon-to-be vacated IBF world title.
The belt is currently held by Oleksandr Usyk and will be on the line when the Ukrainian squares off against Tyson Fury on February 17 in the first undisputed heavyweight title fight of the four-belt era. However, both fighters have agreed to an immediate rematch after their inaugural encounter which clashes with the IBF’s mandatory order.
As a result, the title will be vacated and contested between the major sanctioning body’s No 1 and No 2 fighters, Hrgovic and Joshua. Wallin was the IBF’s No 2 ranked contender but after losing to Joshua the Brit is expected to jump ahead of him in the rankings when they are eventually updated.
Eddie Hearn is keen to get Joshua vs Hrgovic on in the New Year as the Watford powerhouse bids to become a three-time world heavyweight champion but the allure of a domestic dust-up with Dubois could throw a spanner in the works.
Triple D was in fine form as he dispatched Jarrell Miller in the tenth round on the same night to elevate his stature in the glamour division. An all-British clash between the pair could gain legs if Dubois strings together a couple more impressive wins.
“For me, Dubois could fight any of those guys in the top 10. Even AJ would be a good fight. I’d watch that all day long,” Warren told talkSPORT. “I thought Daniel Dubois was brilliant. Absolutely magnificent.
“He proved to all his doubters that he does have heart in a tough, tough fight against a guy who is very good with his gamesmanship, was a tough competitor and made him fight all the way.”
