Promoter Frank Warren reportedly revealed today that a fight between British heavyweights Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois is in the works for September 21st at Wembley Stadium in London.
If the match comes off, the full IBF heavyweight title could potentially be at stake. talkSport revealed the news of the Joshua vs. Dubois talks.
The title is less important than the fact that the winner of the Joshua-Dubois clash would be next in line to take on the Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk rematch winner of their December 21st fight.
Dubois: The Underdog Who Just Bit Hearn
Joshua (28-3, 25 KOs) and his promoter, Eddie Hearn, have their eyes on the Fury-Usyk 2 fight, wanting to battle for the undisputed championship. AJ and Hearn want to pick up the IBF title first, which is a risky move, and it could backfire on them against 26-year-old Dubois (21-2, 20 KOs).
Last Saturday night, the underdog Dubois stopped Hearn’s previously unbeaten fighter Filip Hrgovic in the eighth round to capture the IBF interim heavyweight title at the 5 vs. 5 Matchroom vs. Queensberry tourney in Riyadh.
Few gave Dubois much of any chance going into that contest, but busted up and stopped Hrgovic (17-1, 14 KOs) to win the IBF interim title.
Could Hearn be making a stake sending Joshua in against Dubois after what happened to Hrgovic? It seems like a foolhardy move if you ask me. I wouldn’t put the soon-to-be 35-year-old Joshua in with Dubois right now, not with all that sweet cash available to AJ against the Fury-Usyk II winner.
Is Joshua Still Living in 2013?
Joshua’s recent victories over the likes of Francis Ngannou, Otto Wallin and Robert Helenius may have put ideas into his head, making him believe he’s the same fighter that rolled off the assembly line in 2013 when he first turned pro.
Nah, Joshua is NOT the same fighter that came out of the 2012 British Olympics after his ‘gold medal win over Italy’s Roberto Cammarelle in the finals.
AJ has got a lot of miles on his odometer, and the last thing he needs right now is to go up against a young, ambitious slugger like Dubois right now with the money that’s at stake for him to scoop up fighting the winner of the Fury vs. Usyk 2 fight, which will likely be the Gypsy King if the fight goes to the scorecards.
