Anthony Joshua offered fight with Daniel Dubois after Oleksandr Usyk defeat

14 September 2023 , 09:21

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Anthony Joshua offered fight with Daniel Dubois after Oleksandr Usyk defeat

Daniel Dubois has been suggested as an opponent for Anthony Joshua after his world title defeat to Oleksandr Usyk.

Dubois missed out on his chance to win the unified heavyweight world titles when he was stopped by Usyk last month. The fight was mired in controversy as Dubois put Usyk down in the fifth round with a low blow, but the Brit and his team insisted it was a legal punch. They have since filed a formal appeal to the WBA in an attempt to secure a rematch.

Joshua is moving closer to a highly-anticipated fight against Deontay Wilder but talks have come to a halt in recent weeks. Queensbury Promotions boss Frank Warren has now suggested that if Joshua vs Wilder can't be made for the end of the year, 'AJ' should challenge himself by fighting Dubois.

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“I’ll tell you a good fight if that doesn’t happen,” Warren told IFLTV. "You know what would be a good fight in the UK and people would buy tickets to watch it and we’ll see who is the biggest puncher and who has got the biggest heart? Him [Joshua] and Daniel Dubois.” That would sell out anywhere. You can’t say it’s not going to sell.

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"It would sell. It’s a big fight. Before you all start your hating and whatever, that would determine who has got the biggest heart. Who is going to grit their teeth." Warren admitted his team will need to wait for the result of their appeal before starting any talks of fighting Joshua, adding: "Of course, I'm just talking about down the road. That's going to take whatever time they take to do that."

Joshua looked set to take on Wilder next after his knockout win against Robert Helenius last month, but Warren thinks the lack of any announcement for the mega-fight means it won't take place. "I don't know what's going to happen. All I keep hearing from Matchroom is that every other week they were going to announce it. We are now hitting mid-September, it ain't gonna happen," he said.

In an interview with Mirror Fighting , Joshua's promoter Eddie Hearn admitted they are looking at other countries to stage the fight after Saudi Arabia talks have slowed down. "I'm sure their strategy is moving all my time, but there is a chance it doesn't happen. I've never said there isn't, but when we were told six or seven weeks ago that this fight is done, we've had a lot of confidence that is fact," he said.

Harry Davies