Daniel Dubois is targeting a rematch with Oleksandr Usyk, but may first face a second fight against Anthony Joshua.
‘Dynamite’ Dubois produced the performance of his career to date on Saturday night with a vicious fifth-round knockout upset of Joshua in front of a British boxing record crowd of 96,000 at Wembley Stadium after knocking down the two-time unified world heavyweight champion four times in a ruthless and dominant display.
Such an emphatic victory saw the 27-year-old provide a successful first defence of the IBF title he inherited in full after undisputed champion Usyk’s decision to vacate earlier this summer as he prepares for a December 21 rematch with Tyson Fury in Saudi Arabia rather than take on his mandatory challenger.
Dubois silenced any questions over his status as a full world champion with his destruction of Joshua, having initially only picked up the interim belt inside the ring with an impressive eighth-round stoppage of Filip Hrgovic on the inaugural Matchroom vs Queensberry 5v5 card in Riyadh in June that followed hot on the heels of his thrilling 10th-round victory over Jarrell Miller.
Dubois had successfully rebuilt against Hrgovic and Miller after the pain of his loss against Usyk in Poland last summer, stopped in the ninth round in a fight dominated by a low-blow controversy that the Briton felt had robbed him of the chance at a major upset to win the unified world titles.
Dubois indicated in the ring after dismantling Joshua that he would like to face Usyk in a rematch, with the latter first contending a highly-anticipated second bout against Fury back in Riyadh before Christmas.
If Usyk gets past Fury again, then a second meeting with Dubois in 2025 looks likely, with the status of undisputed heavyweight champion up for grabs once more.
Promoter Frank Warren would also like to see Dubois rematch Usyk, telling reporters in Saturday night’s post-fight press conference: “We’ll see what happens on the 21st of December in Riyadh.
“See the outcome of that fight. Tyson I believe will win it, but the fight I would love... I’d love to see Daniel lace them up against Usyk again because I believe that he should have won that fight and I still believe it wasn’t a low blow.”
However, Dubois may yet have to face Joshua again before aiming to take on the winner of Usyk vs Fury 2, with Eddie Hearn revealing that he expects his fighter - who has no plans to retire after a devastating loss at Wembley - to trigger a rematch clause.
“I’m sure he’ll exercise that rematch clause,” said the Matchroom Boxing chief. “I think that’s a given, but he’ll need a rest. It’s a dangerous fight, this guy is growing in confidence all the time.
“But he’ll believe he can hurt Dubois, he’ll believe he can beat him. But full credit to Daniel Dubois, it was a great performance.”
Hearn added: “We knew that he would be dangerous in the early part of the fight and the start couldn’t have been worse really.
“AJ will believe that he can box much better and beat him, but Dubois is going to be full of confidence. We have to look at what happens on December 21st, if Tyson Fury wins or loses.
“No immediate rush, but I know what AJ is like and he would love to have another crack at him.”
Usyk, along with arch-rival Fury, was present at ringside at Wembley to watch Dubois beat Joshua and told Sky Sports after the one-sided fight: “I think Anthony should have won. For me it’s a surprise.
“Tomorrow I’m back in my training camp and I’ll continue to prepare [for the Fury rematch].”
Asked about a potential rematch with Dubois in 2025, Usyk said: “I think only for the Tyson Fury fight, only for my family and my preparations.”
