Dubois ready to take on Usyk if Joshua vacates WBO belt to set up mega-fight with Fury

‘I can beat all the best heavyweights in the world’: Top British prospect Daniel Dubois ready to take step up and face Oleksandr Usyk if Anthony Joshua vacates WBO belt to set up mega-fight with Tyson Fury

  • Daniel Dubois could be handed a world title shot after just 15 professional fights
  • The unbeaten 22-year-old is relishing the chance to step up after 14 knockouts
  • Oleksandr Usyk is the mandatory challenger to Anthony Joshua’s WBO title
  • Joshua may need to relinquish the belt in order to set up a fight with Tyson Fury

Daniel Dubois has been elevated to No 2 contender for the WBO heavyweight championship.

That not only edges him tantalisingly close to a world title shot at only 22 but also throws a potential spanner into the works for the much-anticipated super-fight between Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury.

Oleksandr Usyk is the mandatory challenger to Joshua with the WBO, who are demanding that this fight takes place in the new year.

Daniel Dubois has been elevated to No 2 contender for the WBO heavyweight championship

With Usyk, who has moved up to heavyweight after becoming the only fighter in history to be the undisputed WBC, WBA, IBF and WBO cruiserweight champion, is insisting that he will not accept step-aside money to let Fury-Joshua happen first.

That would leave Joshua having to choose between postponing a date for the clash with Fury or relinquishing the WBO belt.

The latter would deprive himself or the Gypsy King of any prospect of winning the undisputed heavyweight crown.

If that happens Dubois will find himself propelled into a title fight with Usyk after just 15 professional fights. Albeit all of them won, all except one by knockout.

Ukrainian Oleksandr Usyk is the mandatory challenger to Anthony Joshua with the WBO

Ukrainian Oleksandr Usyk is the mandatory challenger to Anthony Joshua with the WBO

Dubois would have no qualms about making that leap. 

He says: ‘I feel already that I can beat all the best heavyweights in the world, Fury, Joshua, Wilder, Usyk, any of them.’

Frank Warren, promoter of the hottest young prospect in boxing’s marquee division, agrees: ‘This would be a great fight and a serious challenge for Daniel but I firmly believe he would beat Usyk.’

The WBO stood back once to allow Joshua to make an upcoming mandatory defence of his WBA tile against Kubrat Pulev on condition that he fights Usyk next. They are in no mood to allow a further delay.

Joshua may face postponing a date for his Tyson Fury clash or relinquishing the WBO belt

Joshua may face postponing a date for his Tyson Fury clash or relinquishing the WBO belt

Nor is the Ukrainian, who says: ‘I will not accept any offer to wait any longer. My absolute priority is to win a world heavyweight title as soon as possible.’

Fury and Joshua have agreed in principle a 50-50 financial deal for at least one, perhaps two, mega-bouts next year. Although both are keen to become the first undisputed heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis, the enormity of the purses for their fight would likely trump that ambition.

To remain in this world heavyweight game, each of the four players has to come through a big fight this winter.

Dubois is scheduled to defend his British title against Olympic silver medalist Joe Joyce at the 02 on October 24. Usyk has a rust remover against Dereck Chisora in the pipeline for next month.

Joshua v Pulev is now rescheduled for the 02 on December 12, with Fury’s trilogy WBC world title fight against Deontay Wilder likely for Las Vegas a week later.

Fury and Joshua have agreed in principle a financial deal for at least one mega-bout next year

Fury and Joshua have agreed in principle a financial deal for at least one mega-bout next year

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