Daniel Dubois has repeatedly been given permission by the IBF to make an non-obligatory protection of his heavyweight title in opposition to #12 Fabio Wardley subsequent if the rematch with Anthony Joshua doesn’t occur on February twenty second.
Promoter Eddie Hearn says Joshua, 35, is probably not able to take the rematch with Dubois (22-2, 21 KOs) on February twenty second as a result of he has some “niggles” [translation: minor injuries] that will forestall him from returning that quickly.
Wardley (18-0-1, 17 KOs) could be a preferred selection for Dubois to defend in opposition to for UK followers, who’re excessive on the 29-year-old. He’s operated on the British stage his total eight-year profession and is coming off a first-round knockout win over Frazer Clarke on October twelfth in Riyadh.
That fast knockout was extra of a fluke factor for Wardley as a result of he’s not that type of a expertise. In his earlier combat in opposition to Frazer, he battled to a 12-round draw final March, which left Fabio’s face virtually unrecognizable as a result of his punishment. He seemed like he’d been stepped on.
Within the rematch, Wardley caught Clarke with a clubbing haymaker punch within the first spherical that shocked him. He then completed him off earlier than he may get better. Once more, selecting Wardley would please the British followers, however it wouldn’t do a lot for non-Brits, and it might seemingly be a mismatch.
Dubois is on one other stage than Wardley and is a real world-class fighter. Wardley has nonetheless but to chop his enamel on upper-tier competitors throughout his profession, and it’s means too quickly for him to be combating a expertise like Dubois.
“Daniel Dubois has been given the inexperienced gentle to make an ‘non-obligatory protection’ of his IBF world title in opposition to Fabio Wardley,” per Sky Sports activities if the Anthony Joshua rematch doesn’t occur.
Higher Choices for Dubois’ Subsequent Protection
– Agit Kabayel
– Martin Bakole
– Zhilei Zhang
– Jared Anderson
Joseph Parker has been talked about as a risk, however his combating type is just too damaging, and really boring to look at. Parker was an entertaining fighter, however after his knockout loss to Joe Joyce in 2022, he reinvented himself as a runner and now he’s not thrilling to look at.
If Dubois fought Parker, he would must be ready to take care of plenty of motion and clinching. That’s Parker’s type of combating is toxic for the eyes.
