Daniel Dubois gets ready to announce his return to the ring. The IBF Heavyweight World Champion has made waves in the division since he got the full title last year when Oleksandr Usyk gave it up.
Dubois, known as 'DDD', is 27 years old and comes from Britain. He's been on a roll lately, stopping both Jarrell Miller and Filip Hrgovic. But his best performance came when he defended his title against two-time champion Anthony Joshua. Dubois knocked him out in style, showing everyone he's leading the charge for the new generation of heavyweights.
This run of wins has put to rest any doubts about Dubois' heart and grit. He's proved he's got plenty of both.
Now, Dubois has his sights set on a rematch with Oleksandr Usyk. Their first fight ended in the ninth round when Usyk stopped Dubois. That bout had its share of drama, with Dubois landing a low blow that left Usyk on the canvas for several minutes.
Usyk currently holds the WBA, WBO, and WBC titles. He's nearing the end of his career, with only a couple of fights left. Dubois, however, feels he's a different fighter now. He told Podlounge UK:
"I'll smash him next time, smash him for sure. It'll be a good fight but I'm a different fighter now, every fight I've had has improved me and I'm battle-hardened, whoever wants it can get it. These guys they're getting older so I'll send them all into retirement."
At first, reports said the fight was close to being set for July 12 at Wembley Stadium. But now, BBC Sport reports both teams want to slow down the speculation. Even so, this match-up still looks like the most likely to happen.
If it does, Usyk will have a shot at becoming undisputed champion in the heavyweight division for the second time. It's a big deal in a division where older fighters like Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury, and Usyk himself are nearing the end of their careers.
Fans can expect an announcement about Dubois' next fight in the coming weeks. Whatever happens, it's clear that 'DDD' is ready to take on all comers in the heavyweight division.
