Anthony Joshua is gearing up for a highly anticipated clash with fellow Brit Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium on September 21, according to talkSPORT’s Spencer Oliver.
Dubois showcased his resilience and skill in his recent bout against Filip Hrgovic, overcoming early challenges to secure an eighth-round stoppage due to cuts. This victory has positioned him as the frontrunner to face Joshua for the soon-to-be-vacated IBF heavyweight world title.
“Anthony Joshua is looking to become a three-time heavyweight champion, and that opportunity arises on September 21 at Wembley Stadium. Talks are already underway,” former European champion Oliver told talkSPORT.com. “Daniel Dubois boxed brilliantly against Filip Hrgovic and deserves a shot against Anthony Joshua. This is a fantastic fight for British boxing fans!”
Dubois earned the IBF interim title by defeating Hrgovic and is expected to be elevated to full champion status once the IBF inevitably strips Oleksandr Usyk of the title. Usyk is currently committed to a rematch with Tyson Fury scheduled for December 21, making him unable to fulfill the IBF’s mandatory fight requirement. Consequently, the title will pass to Dubois, setting up his first defense against Joshua.
Another potential opponent for Joshua, following the unprecedented Queensberry vs. Matchroom 5vs5 event, was Zhilei Zhang. ‘Big Bang’ Zhang knocked out Deontay Wilder in the fifth round, seemingly ending Wilder’s career.
While a fight with Zhang doesn’t appear to be next for Joshua, Oliver believes it remains a viable future matchup. “That’s still a good fight to be had, and the fans will want it at some point, especially given their history going back to the Olympics,” he said.
“There are loads of great fights to make in this heavyweight division. We obviously want to see Anthony Joshua in there with Daniel Dubois, but the fight everyone really wants is Joshua versus Tyson Fury. If Fury can right the wrongs against Usyk in December and Joshua beats Dubois, then we should get that fight for all the belts.”
Credit: TalkSport
