British heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois may defend his IBF world title against fellow Brit Fabio Wardley after rematch negotiations with Anthony Joshua faced a setback.
Dubois, who claimed the title after Oleksandr Usyk vacated it earlier this year, scored a memorable fifth-round knockout victory over Joshua at Wembley Stadium in September.
IBF president Daryl Peoples has confirmed that Dubois is allowed an “optional defence” against any ranked fighter before April 22, 2024, after which he must fulfil a mandatory title defence. Although Joshua was initially favoured for a rematch, his promoter Eddie Hearn indicated that the proposed February timeline might be too soon.
Wardley has emerged as a strong contender after his impressive first-round win over domestic rival Frazer Clarke in Riyadh this October.
“I’m ready to mix it with those boys. I’ve got the power to go toe-to-toe with them all. I can take a shot, and I can have a war. You’ve seen me do it all. I’m ready for that world stage now,” Wardley said after his victory in Saudi Arabia.
Dubois is unlikely to pursue a unification title shot before the mandatory defence deadline, as Usyk, who holds the remaining heavyweight titles, is set to rematch Tyson Fury on December 21 on DAZN PPV.
Any unification bout would likely be postponed until next summer, following the Usyk-Fury rematch outcome.
