The heavyweight boxing landscape is heating up, with Anthony Joshua’s potential rematch with Daniel Dubois under negotiation for February 22 in Saudi Arabia.
Although both fighters have reportedly approved the date, Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, has cast doubt on whether AJ will be ready in time.
Daniel Dubois knocks out Anthony Joshua during the IBF World Heavyweight Title fight at Wembley Stadium. (Photo by Richard Pelham/Getty Images)
Should Joshua hesitate, he risks losing his IBF ranking status and missing a huge opportunity, as Dubois would then be open to choosing a voluntary challenger from the IBF’s top 15.
If the Joshua-Dubois bout doesn’t materialize, Dubois may face the winner of the Martin Bakole vs. Agit Kabayel eliminator in April, as the IBF will mandate a title defense.
Meanwhile, New Zealand’s Joseph Parker has put down his name as an interest in facing Dubois if the Joshua rematch falls through, marking a potential comeback fight since his win over Zhilei Zhang in March.
Joseph Parker vs Anthony Joshua [Image: Getty / Independent]
Joshua also has an eye on Tyson Fury, as a bout with the “Gypsy King” could still be on the table depending on Fury’s rematch outcome with Oleksandr Usyk on December 21.
If Fury regains his titles, however, sanctioning bodies might limit Joshua’s access to a title shot. With the window to finalize a fight closing quickly, Joshua must decide within the next two weeks whether he will go ahead with the February rematch against Dubois or explore other options.
