Daniel Dubois has been repeatedly given permission by the IBF to make an optional defense of his heavyweight title against #12 Fabio Wardley next if the rematch with Anthony Joshua does not take place on February 22nd.
Promoter Eddie Hearn says Joshua (35) may not be ready to take on the rematch with Dubois (22-2, 21 KOs) on February 22 because he has some “niggles” (translation: minor injuries) that could prevented from returning so soon.
Wardley (18-0-1, 17 KOs) will be a popular choice for Dubois to defend against for British fans, who are high on the 29-year-old. He has operated at British level for his entire eight-year career and is coming off a first-round knockout victory over Frazer Clarke on October 12 in Riyadh.
That quick knockout was more of a fluke for Wardley because he’s not that kind of talent. In his previous fight against Frazer, he fought to a 12-round draw last March, leaving Fabio’s face almost unrecognizable due to his punishment. He looked as if he had been stepped on.
In the rematch, Wardley caught Clarke in the first round with a clubbing haymaker punch that stunned him. He then finished him off before he could recover. Again, the choice of Wardley will please the British fans, but it won’t do much for non-Brits, and it will likely be a mismatch.
Dubois is on a different level than Wardley and is a true world class fighter. Wardley hasn’t cut his teeth on higher-level competition in his career, and it’s way too soon for him to fight a talent like Dubois.
“Daniel Dubois has been given the green light to make an ‘optional defence’ of his IBF world title against Fabio Wardley,” Sky Sports if the Anthony Joshua rematch does not take place.
Better options for Dubois’ next defense
– Agit Kabayel
– Martin Bakole
– Zhilei Zhang
– Jared Anderson
Joseph Parker was mentioned as a possibility, but his fighting style is too negative, and very boring to watch. Parker used to be an entertaining fighter, but after his knockout loss to Joe Joyce in 2022, he reinvented himself as a runner and now he’s not exciting to watch.
If Dubois fought Parker, he would have to be prepared to deal with a lot of movement and clinch. It’s Parker’s style of fighting that is toxic to the eyes.
