Daniel Dubois may defend his IBF world heavyweight title against Fabio Wardley, as plans for a rematch with Anthony Joshua have been delayed.
After Dubois’ impressive fifth-round knockout win over Joshua at Wembley Stadium, talks for an early 2025 rematch were paused due to concerns raised by Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, about the quick turnaround. This has opened the door for British heavyweight Fabio Wardley to step in as a potential challenger.
Daniel Dubois retained his IBF world heavyweight title last month with a thrilling fifth-round knockout of Anthony Joshua at Wembley Stadium.
The IBF has confirmed that Dubois is permitted to make an “optional defense” against any ranked opponent before April 22, 2025. IBF President, Daryl Peoples stated that Dubois “can make an optional defense against any ranked fighter”.
Wardley recently climbed into the IBF rankings after an impressive first-round knockout victory over Frazer Clarke in their rematch. Speaking to Sky Sports, Wardley discussed his strategy for a potential title shot, emphasizing the importance of selecting the right opponent to enhance his standing.
“It needs to be a level of smartness going into this now about how we pick my next opponent, who they are, how they’re ranked, how that fight and that win would set me up going forward.
“Obviously hoping to get some sort of eliminator, world title shot, something along those lines,” Wardley explained.
With 17 knockouts in his 18 wins, Wardley poses a formidable challenge for Dubois, who has 21 knockouts out of 22 victories. Dubois’ promoter, Frank Warren, confirmed that if Joshua isn’t ready for a rematch, they’re prepared to line up a new challenger, potentially setting the stage for a major all-British clash.
