Oleksandr Usyk's team win the purse bid ahead of a world title fight against mandatory challenger Daniel Dubois in August
Thursday 25 May 2023 21:09, UK
Oleksandr Usyk's team have won the purse bids ahead of a world heavyweight title defence against Daniel Dubois in Poland this August, the Ukrainian's promoter Alex Krassyuk has announced.
"We won the bid, now working to stage the fight in Wroclaw, Poland on August 12th," Krassyuk said on Instagram.
Usyk will put the WBA, IBF and WBO heavyweight belts on the line against WBA mandatory challenger Dubois having retained his unified status with victory over Anthony Joshua in last August's rematch.
The 36-year-old had been set to take on Tyson Fury in an undisputed showdown at Wembley Stadium in April, only for negotiations to break down.
Usyk has compiled an unbeaten 20-0 (13) record since turning professional and back-to-back wins over Britain's Anthony Joshua have seen the 2012 Olympic gold medallist assert his status as the unified champion of boxing's blue-riband division.
Dubois, meanwhile, will fight for the first time since successfully defending his WBA 'regular' belt with a third-round stoppage of Kevin Lerena in December, during which he suffered a knee injury as well as being put to the canvas three times in the first round.
Having suffered his first professional loss to fellow British heavyweight contender Joe Joyce in November 2020, the 25-year-old Londoner has worked his way back into contention with four consecutive stoppage wins and is now 19-1 (18) in the paid ranks.
Dubois recently parted ways with trainer Shane McGuigan and is now working with Don Charles, who previously worked with British heavyweight Derek Chisora.
Fury has, meanwhile, been linked to a fight against Australian heavyweight Demsey McKean.
Krassyuk has not ruled out Usyk facing Fury later this year though, telling Sky Sports earlier this month: "Everything else is possible after Usyk wins."
